I know what it’s like to be a candidate going through multiple interviews without receiving an offer. At the time, I wasn’t sure who I was. I pursued a career in the oil and gas industry because I lived in Houston. That was where the big money was.
But I wanted more experience to figure out who I truly was and what I wanted to do. I started in staffing, working as a generalist. Throughout my journey, I realized I wasn’t driven by gross profits or commissions. I genuinely wanted to help people find their career passion. I loved the way I “catered” to people’s needs as a Generalist.
As I continued to discover myself and learned more, I found that facts, numbers and storytelling were among my strengths. The successes I experienced as a Generalist in the recruiting field helped build my confidence. That confidence, in turn, helped me trust myself. It created positive expectations and became a behavior that felt natural—rooted in accountability.
Resilience was also a key part of this journey.
Here are some tips for CONFIDENCE as you interview:
1. Preparation = Confidence
- Research the company: Know their mission, values, and recent news.
- Look at the company’s LinkedIn profile, Reviews on Glassdoor, Indeed and social media outlets
- Review the Company’s Website! I can’t stress this enough!!
- Understand the role: Match your skills and experience to the job description.
- Review the job description multiple times
- Relate the role to your current skills
- Know your resume: Be ready to talk about everything on it.
- Your resume is a chance where you get to “brag” about yourself.
- State #’s, facts and successes on your CV!
2. Practice Your Pitch
- Prepare a 60-second “Tell me about yourself” response.
- Practice in the mirror
- Make it straight to the point
- Smile as you rehearse in the mirror
- Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure answers to behavioral questions.
- Your work history and great examples will build your confidence to answer these questions!
3. Anticipate Common Questions
- Why do you want this job?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Tell me about a time you handled a challenge.
- Why is there a gap between YEAR “X” to YEAR “Y” within your resume?
4. Mock Interviews
- Practice with a friend, mentor, or recruiter.
- Record yourself to review tone, clarity, and body language.
5. Boost Your Mindset
- Use positive affirmations: “I am capable and prepared.”
- Positive Self-Talk starts as soon as you wake up too!
- For example, ” I am going to have a great day!”
- Visualize a successful interview.
- Picture yourself in the conference room with the hiring manager and answering the questions with confidence
- Focus on what you can control—your preparation and attitude.
6. Dress for Success
- Choose an outfit that makes you feel confident and professional.
- Professional colors are important, avoid loud colors and distractions
- For virtual interviews: check your lighting, background, and internet connection.
Become A Diamond Candidate! 