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The following tips will help you prepare for any job interview…

1)      Surround yourself with positive people

Ideally everyone you come across will be supportive of your job search, but some people’s idea of support is actually detrimental to your success. You will come across people that make up excuses for you, like “The job market just sucks right now. It’s not your fault,” or my favorite, “Let’s just get drunk and forget about it.” Distance yourself from these people. While they are trying to help, their “solutions” will only keep you down. Instead, if you have friends, family, and colleagues who say things like “I know you can do it,” or “Keep it up!” or do things like e-mail you jobs to apply to, keep these people close. Their support is positive, and being around them will give you a more positive outlook.

2)      Quit taking it personally

There is no doubt that even the most amazing job seekers will encounter rejection from time to time. Quit taking it personally. Most of the time, the reason for rejection has nothing to do with you anyway. The reason you don’t get the job or don’t even get an interview might be because of budgeting, internal candidates, or a complete revamp of the company or department you’re applying to. Don’t focus on things you will never be able to control. Focus on yourself and how awesome you are, which brings me to my next tip…

3)      Tell yourself you’re hirable

If you’ve worked at least one day in your life, then you must have some hirable skills, and even if you haven’t worked before, odds are you have at least one hirable skill that just hasn’t been utilized yet. So stop the self-loathing. You are good enough to get a job, but no one will hire you if you don’t think you deserve it. And besides, beating yourself up every day gets downright exhausting.

4)      Practice interviewing

There’s nothing as depressing and demoralizing as completely bombing an interview.  There’s one easy way to combat this: practice the interview. As much as I love recruiters and hiring managers, we’re not the most original, creative people in the world. Most of us will ask the same questions over and over again. You can find books in your library of standard interview questions. Lists of interview questions are also readily available on the internet. One word of caution though: a successful interview isn’t just about being able to answer the questions. It’s about how you answer the questions. Practice how you will answer the questions you anticipate being asked. Set up a mock interview with a friend, a recruiter, or even your spouse or partner. Acting out the scenario in a friendly setting will help you prepare for the real deal. If you’re a shy, timid person, I highly suggest getting involved with different organizations that can help you become more comfortable with interacting with others. Toastmasters and improv acting classes are great things to consider. Both will get you to open up, talk, and think on your feet. Go to a few of these events and you’ll gain a wealth of confidence.

5)      Get out of the house

When you’re looking for a job, your job search should be one of your top priorities, but it should not be your only priority. You can only sit in front of your computer and send out resumes for so long before you get cabin fever.  Getting out of the house is okay.  Reward yourself for your hard work by going out for a walk or grabbing some ice cream. Just getting outside, being around other people, and being in sunlight will have a dramatic effect on your outlook.

6)      Network

Since you’re getting out of the house anyway, why not go to some networking events?  Find some professional groups in your area or in your industry. Many of them may even have events that cater to people who are “in transition.” The people you meet at these events may be able to give you advice on how to be an effective job-seeker and may even point you in the direction of companies that are hiring. The worst case scenario is you get out of the house for a few hours, which isn’t a bad thing at all.

7)      Make a happy playlist

I remember when I was in high school, I was very angsty and angry almost all the time, but I really had nothing to be angsty and angry about. I then looked at the CDs I had in my car. All of them were very angry, angsty rock bands: Tool, Rage Against the Machine, Korn, Limp Bizkit. No wonder I was an angry guy! I changed to more mellow tunes: Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Norah Jones, Jack Johnson. A few days later I started to notice a shift in my mood.  Before long, people close to me started to notice it, too.  It’s amazing how much music seeps into our subconscious and influences how we see the world. Pick music that puts you in a happy, positive, confident mood, and listen to that music when applying to jobs and prepping for interviews.

8)      Set small, achievable goals

It’s great to start with the end in mind, but don’t let the end be your one and only goal. If you wake up every day of your job search thinking, “Today is the day I get the job,” the fact of the matter is that you will fail from achieving your goal every day except for the very last day of your job search. And if you’re like me, that feeling of failure isn’t exactly motivating. Instead of focusing on the final step, focus on the smaller ones you need to make to get you there. Tell yourself, “I will apply to 15 jobs today,” or “I’ll RSVP for two networking events today.” These are small, achievable, attainable goals, and you will feel good about yourself when you cross them off your daily to-do list.

9)      Go shopping and give yourself a job seeker makeover

Clothes definitely make the man (or woman), so take some time to go shopping for a new interview outfit if necessary. There are some other perks to going shopping during your job search. According to studies conducted by Cornell University as well as polling companies such as Harris and Gallup, the act of shopping makes you temporarily happier. Investing a few bucks on a new outfit that makes you look like a million bucks will also make you act like a million bucks. When you like the way you look, you will exude the confidence, happiness, and positivity that Eeyore candidates lack.

10)   If it’s really serious, then get serious help

Being unemployed, especially for a long period of time, can easily lead to a serious depression problem. If you notice any depression warning signs over an extended period of time, such as having difficulty getting out of bed every morning or heightened alcohol consumption, go to your doctor right away and get help. Your job search is important, but your mental health should always be your top priority. Also, if you are clinically depressed and not getting proper treatment, your depression will be a major hindrance to your job search. Take care of yourself and everything else will fall into place.

Jeff Davis is a graduate of UCLA and has an extensive background in Human Resources and Recruiting. He currently works for Career Strategies Inc (www.csi4jobs.com), a staffing firm specializing in direct and temporary placements in corporate capacities.

Posted by Jeff Davis on January 11, 2012. Filed under Recruiting, Thought Leadership