Interviewing please talk me down

[Elphabagreenwitch]

I can't do interviews. I become a bumbling mess. I sweat and go bright pink. My words don't make sense or I don't sound anywhere near as articulate as I usually am. I can't answer questions that are asked as I can't think of anything to use as an example on the spot. It's just humiliating and I don't want to do it anymore. To the point where I feel like I'll take a basic job so I don't have to be grilled. What's everyone else like with this?

So I've got one arranged for next week and I'm thinking of cancelling it as I can't cope.

Competence based. Just kill me now as I just can't do them.

Op, interviewers will not see what you think . being nervous is normal. Practice with a friend. Drop the job description into the chatgpt website and ask it for interview questions and answers.
look up the Star process for interview questions. You can do this.

Urgh, I hate them too and come across so shit in them!
I’m currently in a job with excellent career progression but I’d never go for a promotion here as it would be with managers I know and I’m just prickling with sweat just thinking about having to stand and present and interview in front of them only to not get the job because I’d come across like an inarticulate fool! I’d never recover from the embarrassment!!
DO go to the interview, i tend to smile a lot and just sort of wing it.

Please don’t cancel! You can do this you really can.

I have been interviewing today and seen a couple of candidates who were very nervous. Many people are, but that’s ok.

Suggestions from me

• practice with a friend or family member your responses to common questions.
• think of a couple of really good examples of your achievements and practice saying them out loud, go over them a few times.
• practice some relaxation techniques in the few days before and do some deep breathing before you go in.
• positive self talk every day whilst you clean your teeth.
• smile
• if it helps say you are nervous, anyone who is half way human will reassure you it’s fine. (my boss is a fan of the ‘power pose’ in the mirror before you go in for the interview if that helps - she swears by it😁)

The examples are always in a theme, you need to have a good few already thought out so your brain isn’t scrambling for one.
Write them down, in the STAR model, and practice with someone who understands your industry. And good luck!

Take some notes into the interview. It’s allowed and makes you looked prepared.

I've just had one of these competence-based interviews. I'm the same as you - a bumbling nervous (embarrassing) mess.

I did some practice beforehand - especially for the work-based scenarios - but I really struggled to think of examples. I also purchased InterviewGold. It helped calm me down as I found the competency/strength-based model overwhelming to get to grips with, at first.

I thought my competence-based interview went pretty badly (said some stupid, irrelevant things but I was enthusiastic) and I had to keep asking them to repeat the question halfway through because I couldn't remember what I was answering 😬😂

The second interview was much more informal.

After just two interviews I'd totally had enough - it was sooooooo stressful and I didn't feel I could keep on with it. I didn't think I'd ever get a job and started to feel pretty bad.

Luckily (and amazingly) I was offered both jobs.

I got feedback from the competence-based one and, as I thought, I didn't score very highly (but enough), so not sure how I got that one.

The example questions usually fall into a few simple categories (conflict with someone, helping someone, how you solved a problem, etc.) so think about your examples beforehand (and think through each step of the solution, especially the outcome and what you learned). Also, it's good to use the STAR approach (Situation, Task, Action, Result but concentrate on the Action and Result) to help keep you focused.

Good luck... x

And write your notes on card, not paper. Card is less likely to shake when you do, than paper.

have at least two examples for each competency and (most important) listen to the question. Skew your example to fit the competency.

remember your the only person there who knows what you, personally did in any situation.

any decent interviewer will take it for granted that you are nervous. For all you know, they may be too. Maybe it's their first time ever of interviewing.

Same OP!

Propranolol and practice made my last interview much better.

Can anyone remember questions they were asked? To give me a head start?

Go to the person spec.

Say it has the top 5 requirements of management, problem solving, financial knowledge, audits and teamwork.

Translate these into 'tell me about a time when...' and then add in issues with any of the requirements. Often about having to make difficult decisions as a manager, having to solve a problem that other people had to implement. Having to make financial cuts that affected others, having issues with an audit, having to manage a team member that didn't want to do something.

Have you been given a list of the competencies to be examined?

Have a Google, there’s loads of examples online for this style of interview.