I Hate Job Interviews

Have confidence in yourself.

To succeed in any job interview, you must have confidence in yourself. Confidence demonstrates to hiring managers that you believe in your abilities. Would you trust a surgeon who appears unsure about his or her skills? Probably not. The same logic applies to job interviews: Interviewers view candidates who seem confident in their abilities more favorably than those who seem less sure of themselves.

Building self-confidence starts with eliminating negative thoughts that hinder your performance. For example, stop telling yourself that some people are “natural-born”  job interviewers — a falsehood. Job interviewing is a learned skill. Replace these harmful thoughts with positive affirmations and truths about your abilities.

Dedicate 10 hours to preparing for a job interview to differentiate yourself from other candidates. Spend three hours researching the company’s history, values and products, three hours formulating your responses to likely questions, and four hours practicing your answers out loud in front of friends or colleagues. Practice and preparedness will help you feel — and...