Interview Advice published in “The Higgler”

Hypnotic Corner by hypnotherapist Jon Hinchliffe
Redundant? How to prepare for your first job interviews in years.
With the UK officially in recession it is inevitable that some of us will find ourselves redundant, facing the terrifying prospect of job interviews for perhaps the first time since leaving school. Using some tips from the field of hypnosis can change the terrifying prospect to a challenging one and then a comfortable, successful one.
Before the interview:
• Relax yourself. Take some deep breaths right down into your stomach. Count how long you breathe in for and then breathe out for two seconds longer. EG In for 5 out for 7. This will help you relax.
• Imagine yourself in the interview. Take in the surroundings. Hear what else might be going on. See and hear yourself answering questions confidently. See the delight on your face as you are told you have got the job.
• A different exercise to practise is to remember a time when you have been confident and happy. If you can’t think of a time, think of someone who impresses you as confident and happy and imagine you are them and imagine how it feels to be them. When you have the feeling touch your thumb and little finger together and really absorb how you feel.
• Think of something completely different and then touch your finger and thumb together again. You should notice the feelings of confidence returning. If you don’t, repeat the process of being confident again, perhaps with different examples until you really feel that confidence inside.
• Repeat these exercises daily.
One the day of the interview
• Before leaving allow yourself 5 minutes to do the relaxation process again.
• Arrive in plenty of time
• Run through the process again. This could even be done in a toilet if you are worried about how you might appear to others.
• You are now ready for a successful interview
• Answer questions naturally and to the best of your ability.
• If a question seems to go wrong remember that the interviewer might be testing how you cope under pressure. Keep cool. Touch your finger and thumb together again and let the confidence return to your body. Keep thinking positively. Let the interviewer judge your performance. Just remain focused and treat each question like it is the first question you were asked.
After the interview, remember each interview is a learning experience and the more you have and the more you practise seeing what you want the sooner it will happen for you. Good luck!