If you are a professional person who aspires to climb the career ladder you are going to go through the job interview process quite a few times.
The best candidates will always prepare thoroughly for a job interview. At the same time switched on recruiters know this and will aim to make the job interview fair but challenging.
Even if you are really well prepared there are always going to be questions that set off the butterflies in the stomach and get you anxious.
Staying calm when this happens is absolutely vital. While it might be tempting to press the panic button you are probably not going to handle things as well as you could.
Think before you speak. Silence can sometimes be uncomfortable. When under pressure a 10 second pause can seem like an eternity. In reality it passes in no time at all.
Never be critical. Sometimes those tricky questions will be about a current employer or current boss. Always avoid being critical and try to frame things in the positive.
Don’t dwell if you think that you have given a less than perfect answer. You are human. You make mistakes like everyone else. Rather than dwell on the answer that was not so good, move on and focus immediately on giving a great answer to the next question.
Always remember that in interviews there are going to be several tricky and demanding questions. What matters is how you handle these curve balls.
Duncan Brodie helps accountants, business and other professionals who are frustrated at the lack of progress in their career to achieve more career success. He invites you to sign up for his free audio masterclass.
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.