Interviews

Today I had a phone interview.  It's not the biggest announcement ever in a world where I'm applying for jobs, but boy was I nervous.  Yes, nervous.  And I've never been nervous for interviews because I've always figured that interviews are a period of time where I'm sitting through some sort of test, except that studying is unnecessary because the interviewer is asking me about the one topic that I know the most about - me.  I mean, I don't like to brag, but in a Trivial Pursuit game, the "me" edition, I'm pretty confident that I could get all the little pie pieces.  (Maybe not the little sports piece, unless I luck out and get a question on cheerleading.  And yes, cheerleading IS a sport... but I digress.)

But here is the good news... I was nervous until the interview started, and then I relaxed and remembered some important job search rules:
1. You are who you are and you've done what you've done.  And that isn't going to change no matter what they ask.
2. Authenticity is the only option.  What makes you stand out from the crowd is sharing your genuine self in a unique way.
3. Be confident.  Either you believe that the job is a fit or it isn't, but others can't define your capacity for achievement, whether they offer you the opportunity or not.  No one role and no single interview can define you or your ability to achieve unless you let it..
4. Relax.  Make it a conversation.  It's ok to answer a question and then ask what the interviewer thinks.  It's a great way to establish connection and rapport, which just happens to be a great interview technique.  And it makes it so much more fun.

As much as I'm hoping that I'll move forward in the process, I'm feeling great to have gotten over the hump of my first interview now that I'm back on the market.  I'm not sure what pie piece that gets me in the me Trivial Pursuit game, but I'm hoping it's the pink one.