Interviews...Interviews Everywhere!

My big promotion, next big step in my career interview (no pressure or anything) is today...mere hours away. I do like taking time, while I can, to write a little before an interview and collect my thoughts. I'm a little nervous, but I still have time to cultivate my inner Neo.

I went back and read a few of my previous pre-interview posts, and a couple things came to mind as i read. 1) I have interviewed a lot, and 2) I've actually posted some pretty good interview advice.

One bit of my own wisdom I really liked--so much I am about to quote myself--was about allowing the interview to be fun and to turn it into a conversation, rather than an interrogation:

"Why not have fun? Maintain professionalism, of course, but enjoy the experience. This transmits confidence, competence, and a passion for what you are doing. The hiring committee is hiring a colleague...someone they will be spending a lot of time with. They want to hire someone who they will enjoy working with...someone who will contribute to a positive and fun working environment."

And also:

"...allowing the interview to become a conversation instead of an interrogation. They best interviews I've been involved with, on both sides of the interview table, have been the ones where people start to relax and talk with, not to or at, the interviewee."

I also talked about believing in my own awesomeness. I like the general notion of skewing reality in my favor because, who else will if not me?

And then my final bit of advice to myself is about...being myself:

"In the end I will present myself as myself. I will know I am good at what I do. They will either feel who I am fits their social environment and what they are looking for in a candidate...or they will not."

So I dipped into past wisdom, and now I am at a point where I would I feel I need to add to that wisdom. This one is from the book The Charisma Myth. Good stuff. I fully believe I've had successful interviews that have resulted in job offers due to the information in that book. I have listened to it via audiobook several times.

This particular kernel of wisdom from the book is about fully believing that you are perfect in how you are now. All your mistakes and areas of weaknesses are...perfect. You are forgiven for everything that your inner self-critic keeps beating you down about. Every past sin is forgiven, and you are completely perfect and whole in this moment.

Or something like that. I kinda hacked it, but I love the idea--and I will listen to that mantra again as part of my prep process.

And in that same Zen-like spirit, I would like to share an important guided mediation video with you. So sit back, close you eyes, and let all that fucking bullshit fade away.