Interview nerves
Hi guys,
recently had an interview which I absolutely bombed because my nerves got the best of me. just curious to know what is the best way to go about in handling pre-interview nerves?
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Best piece of advice I have ever received, Knowledge gives you Confidence, Confidence yields Enthusiasm, and Enthusiasm sells (in this case you, in your interview).
Most interviews are going to be 2/3 behavioral and 1/3 technical (depending on the role). The technical stuff you just need to know straight up and down, basic questions like: "how does depreciation flow through the 3 statements", or sector specific stuff like "tell me a recent market event and what it means for said sector." I cant really help you with that one, other than say be very deliberate in how you walk through your answers and if you make a mistake or don't know something, be honest, something along the lines of "I understand 'x' concept but am struggling with where to go from here," the interviewer will likely jump in and give some guidance. You cant really BS your way through a technical when the person on the other end does this for a living.
The behavioral stuff is usually where the nerves start to show, but in reality they always ask the same standard questions or at least from a pool of like 15, the "tell me your strengths/weaknesses", "tell me about a time when you - didn't meet a deadline/disagreed with your boss/failed at your job." Abuse things like glassdoor/indeed/and most importantly WSO to get a general feel for what is going to be asked. Then write your answers down physically on paper and read them to yourself in the mirror, until you can do it from memory. I assure you no one hates public speaking more than I do, but if I know what I'm going to talk about it tends to make life a lot easier, and the easier/more natural your interview feels, the better you probably did/are going to do.
At the end of the day the key to getting ahead in finance is knowing what your boss is going to ask and having a thought out answer prepared already. Same thing with your interview, do the research beforehand, have a good idea what is going to be asked of you and knock it out of the park.
Also really helps understanding that alot of things arn't in your control. Some interviewers have already dinged you from the get go maybe due to the way you look, the way you talk, or cuz he/her is feeling shitty or getting a certain "vibe" at that moment. It's unfortunately the cards you may be dealt.
That's not to say that you shouldn't prepare yourself technically & behaviorally the best you possibly can. Just knowing that so many factors could lead to you not making the cut can help you just perform the best you were going to anyway. Fook it...
A while back this wonderful post came out on WSO (https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/best-interview-advice-i-ever-rec…) about taking a pre-interview dump at the firm's office. Dumb as it may sound, I've found it works pretty well. It won't ease your nerves if you don't know what to say but like with many bright people nerves get in the way of formulating thoughts even if the content is there so delivery comes off as bad. This helps clear your mind and much more.
I definitely get where you're coming from, as I used to get really nervous during interviews. The key is to not put so much pressure on yourself.
I get it- you want the job badly, this is everything you've been striving for, and you want to display that you're the best candidate for the role. At the same time, you need to walk in with the mentality that you have nothing at the moment (because you don't have an offer), and you have nothing to lose (because you haven't gained anything).
The person across from you on the interview table has a family, friends, interests, dislikes, etc. They're a normal person. Once you get that, everything becomes easier. Just have a normal conversation with them, like you would on the subway. Pretend that they're someone who knows nothing about the industry, and all the questions they ask you are simply them trying to get you to teach them. I always view interviewers now as an acquaintance as opposed to someone in a position of power.
It takes time and practice, but you'll get there. I would also recommend against using substances, as substance use is a temporary crutch (and not a solution) to a problem.
Practice practice practice.
Prepare lists of questions that you think interviewers will ask you, and then practice responding to them out loud. Get used to the sound of your voice saying the answers out loud.
Being over prepared will give you confidence going into the interview. If you think you're all set, spend 50% more time doing it. You'll be happy you did.
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