You could argue that the goal of a job interview is to get an offer. But it’s not. Goals need to be things you can control, and you can’t control other people’s decisions. Instead of focusing on the job offer, you’ve got one job at a job interview. It’s simple. Your job is to show up and be you.
When you’re focused on an outcome that other people decide, it’s easy to feel defeated, scared, graspy, forceful, or shut down. Let’s get clear on what to focus on, instead.
Your job is not to self-reject.
Think interviewers won’t like you or don’t like you?
When you worry about that, you might act distracted, graspy, or forceful. In those states, you might forget your great examples to demonstrate your work or fail to convey your true nature. You’re not presenting your authentic self, so how could they like you?
Your job is to show up and be true. Give them the chance.
Think interviews are skewed toward sales people, schmoozers, or candidates who’ll say anything?
From behind that wall of distrust, what kind of connection will you make? If your job is to show up and be true, you are less worried about being a smooth talker and more focused on letting them see the real you.
Don’t meet the qualifications? It’s too scary? Fear the interview will end in rejection?
It would be so easy to decide not to apply. Or go to the interview, but not really connect while you’re there.
You’ll never know whether they would have loved you, whether the job description was partly wishlist and you met the real qualifications, whether they’d cater the job to fit you, their favorite candidate, if you don’t show up and be true to yourself and your value.
If you don’t show you, you’ll never know.
You won’t build the skills of showing up, connecting, conveying your value, and being true to yourself in an interview, the skills that will help you nail the next one.
You won’t meet the recruiter who thinks you’re perfect for the next job.
Your job is to show up, anyway.
Do you see how these prophecies can be self-fulfilling? Friends, use the power of your focus for good — to help you show up and be true to yourself — which will lead to a richer network of offers and opportunities.
When you shift your focus from the job offer to showing up and being you, you’ll convey your value much more clearly. You’ll reclaim the ability to build real rapport and connection, the deciding factor, all other things being equal.
Prepare, absolutely. Then, it’s your job to show up.
Prepare so you have the self-trust to be present in the room, rather than up in your head trying to remember details. When you can tune in to your interviewers, you’ll build connection, pick up on cues, ask good questions, and discern for yourself whether you’re a good fit and how you can be most valuable to this employer.
Prepare so you can convey your real value through clear examples and specific details of your work.
Prepare so you can interview like you’re talking with a good friend.
Most importantly, prepare your mindset for your real job in the job interview.
Prepare yourself to remember that you can’t control the outcome. Rather, your job is to show up and be yourself, be true.
That’s how you’ll create job offers.
