Think of the Interview As a Performance and Rehearse It
You may have the busiest resume and the most impressive job history, but if you seem awkward or unpleasant in the interview, you will lower your chances. For this reason, it can be viewed as a performance art.
Article author Katie Salit of the Harvard Business Review explains :
Yes, theatrical performance. Similar to how an actor prepares the character he will play on stage or screen, you can use some of the Actor’s Toolkit techniques to prepare the character you will play in an interview. For a scene like this, you need to exude confidence, competence, sympathy, flexibility, and more. How can you do this in a high-stakes situation? Use your natural ability to imagine and pretend – and create your character.
This may seem contrary to the advice to “ just be yourself”. However, Salit is good at noticing. By sticking to who you think you are, you can hold yourself back from growing or learning new skills.
For example, I told myself that for many years I was a shy, socially awkward person. For years, I have acted like a shy, socially awkward person. However, after a while, I got tired of this story and tried to show a little more confidence in order to attract more freelance clients, chat with other writers and negotiate. At first it really seemed like an inauthentic performance, but after a while, confidence came naturally.
This can be tricky, however, which is why Salit suggests making a list of qualities that you must pass on as a successful candidate for this particular job. These can be leadership qualities, curiosity, or problem-solving skills. From there, you want to practice. Rehearse the interview with a friend and be sure to convey their qualities. The more comfortable you are in your role, the more natural you will be in interviews.