Help! I have an interview tomorrow and I am so petrified that I can't prepare for it!

[resusnegative]

I've had a weeks notice so plenty of time to prepare. I've been really really stupid and haven't prepared anything.

I hate interviews and I do really badly in them. They are just one big humiliating experience for me. I had an interview last year where I was told after I was too nervous and lacked confidence.

I feel so foolish for not preparing as I would really like this job. It's an internal post which I am already doing. If I mess this up I would be so embarrassed. Why do I do this?!

I have just today to turn things around. What's the best way to prepared for an interview with little time!

Just do it.

A week would have been great. But a day is better than half a day/an hour/ten minutes. So get started now and do the best with the time you have.

Prioritise and start with the most important things.

I would.

1. Go to a chemist and get some Bach Rescue Remedy for my nerves. Doesn’t work for everyone, but works a treat on me.
2. Get a piece of A4 paper and divide into 9 squares. At the top of each square I’d write a key word from the ‘required’ elements of job description. Under that I’d write 1 or 2 word bullet points of examples where I’d done it in the past.
3. I’d take that into the job interview and refer to it, so I wasn’t having to remember it.

That’s what I’d do anyway. Plenty of time to do that today. Good luck!

I had an interview recently. I was asked about how my colleagues would describe me. Describe a time I had conflict and how I dealt with it. What would I do if I was asked to do something but didn't have all the information. I made sure I had a real life example for those questions.

Basically you need to be able to put a positive spin on any negatives they ask you. Google some common interview questions and note down what your examples would be. Think of any times you've actively improved your skills - even better if you used your initiative to do it.

Try not to talk about any conflicts you have had with people in a personal sense. Make it more about a work thing so "x and I disagreed on how to progress this task so we discussed it and came up with y compromise". Not "x and I had an argumentment about y". Try not to waffle too much and if you know the people interviewing you, try not to settle into being too matey with them. Keep it relevant, keep it professional. Good luck!

Do you still have the job advert? Was there a person specification and job description? If so I'd start there.
Make a list of the attributes you have and how they enable you to do the job. The fact you've been "acting up" means you have experience of what the role actually entails and can give real examples.
If your company uses the STAR method there are some good examples on YouTube and google about the structure.
Most importantly don't overthink, you've been offered an interview because they think you can do it! This is your chance to prove it

Took me a while to realise that thinking of this as some kind of exam isn’t the right mindset. It’s a conversation about you, and a role, and how you might fit that role. So think about the job, think what it means to do it, and write out examples and experience that show how you would fit in. Be honest about any specific areas that aren’t a fit, but have a plan thought through for how you would address these - eg It requires expertise in XXX, I do have some but I think I’d need to deepen to do the job well, therefore I could do YYY training or whatever. Good luck!

Just to lighten to the mood and add something to all the fantastic advice already here

Thanks. I really struggle thinking of examples. Some examples I will prepare from home but when they ask one where I've not prepared I just totally freeze up and can't think of any!

You're quite right crummyusername about minset and how you think of the interview. To me it's an INTERROGATION!!!
No wonder my heart goes into overdrive and I am scared shirtless!

I need to get off MN.

@Nillynally wouldn't you just love to have the nerve to do that?

Ok, deep breaths ... this was me back in May! I didn't get the job but not because I wasn't prepared and the interviewers were impressed with my notes.

Start by writing down some examples of things you're proud of doing. Just a list at this stage.
Now look at those and match them to the job / person spec. You want 1-2 good examples for each requirement.
Now use the STAR technique for each example and fit them landscape across an A4 paper. Just bullet points as prompts but talk out the whole example as practice - make sure it's "I did" not "we did" especially for anything as part of a team, your role needs to be clear
Last bit - cloud diagram, job title in the middle, requirements round the outside and the name of each of your examples under the requirements. This is so when they ask "give us a time you presented something" you can look at your diagram to "presenting" and see the examples you have prepped. Then use the STAR paper to remind you of the steps.

You can take this prep in, it's not a memory test!

I recommend you answer questions out loud or in your head today so you can get some practice in. It may sound rehearsed in the interview but it helps that you have already a clear idea of how to answer a question that will likely come up.

There are some questions that usually crop up such as 'why are you applying for this role?' and 'give me an example of when you had to deal with conflict and how you resolved it?' Google is great for questions if you look up the role and the UK questions you might be asked. Also look at what they are asking for in the job description, that will give you an idea of the questions you will be asked. If, for example, the role is a Project Manager, you may be asked what skills and experience you need to carry out that role.

If you have trusted workmates ask them for help with examples. It is hard at times to remember all you have done and accomplished because for you it is just day to day stuff.

Good luck!

[quote TSSDNCOP]@Nillynally wouldn't you just love to have the nerve to do that? [/quote]
What I would really love to have the nerve to do is when people ask you what your worst quality is, answer
'I'm too honest'
'I don't think that's a bad thing'
'I don't give a fuck what you think'
😂

Any chance you can suddenly develop ‘symptoms’ and request an online?? Then you could have loads of prompts in front of you…

Asking for lots of lucky dust! It's in an hour! I spent the whole of yesterday going through loads of possible questions. I am not 100% prepared but a lot more than I was in the morning! Can't wait till it's over tbh.

Good luck!

Remember- they want you to succeed! I’ve say on the other side of the table and it’s hard work being the interviewer too. We just want a good conversation and the idea that this person is open to talking about pressures and giving and getting feedback easily. Think of it that way - you don’t need to impress, you need to help the other person have a good conversation with you.

If you freeze thinking of an example, you can say ‘That’s a great question’ to buy a bit of time. Then if you really can’t think of anything you can say ‘Don’t you always find your mind goes blank at the worst moments in interviews!’ With a smile. And if they’re any good at interviewing they’ll help you out by moving the question along.

Come back and say how it went.

NoSquirrels ugh! It was awful. All the stuff I had prepared for didn't come up! I feel really rubbish. I will need to look for another job and just feel like shit!

Sorry to hear that OP, when will you hear?

KatherineJaneway Ill find out in a couple of days. They have other candidates to interview. I'd rather they just told me there and then!

I’m sorry you don’t feel it went well. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you anyway!

As you’re an internal candidate, I’d seriously consider sending a quick thank you email and if there’s anything you think you should have said better/more succinctly etc just write a quick few lines.

Fingers crossed, anyway.

It's be frustrating but fingers crossed anyway 🤞You never know

I am having a chat today about their decision / feedback. Wish it was over the phone or zoom. Really

I've been been dreaming about it in my head. Just want it to be over with. My colleagues who are really nice were all rooting for me and I even got a text off one of them saying that we will go to this nice cafe round the corner to "celebrate"!

Bit late now but got a couple of tips for the future cos I get terribly nervous like you. I made a list of all the tasks I do in my job and any training or development opportunities I've done. Then when you're prepping for the application or interview your examples are ready. Then look at the person specification and think of a couple of examples for everything on there.

Crinkle77 that's the thing I had so many examples for each thing in the person spec and only one question came up with examples. All the other questions they asked I could not have prepared for eg they had a question about legal stuff which isn't even relevant to the job. Sometimes you can prepare as much as you can but they can literally ask anything!