Job Interview Success for Introverts: Secure the job you want and deserve

Research is familiar territory for introverts, as I've mentioned before. Introverts are very strong at research because of their ability to focus and use their alone time effectively. If you've noticed introverts at work, you will recall how they sit quietly at their desk, reading the text on the screen, and typing away. What you see is their ability to concentrate with the work at hand. This is how they learn best. The extroverts, on the other hand, are usually conversing with colleagues and exchanging information because this is how they learn best. Take advantage of the time you have to conduct the research you need to be prepared for the interview. You may require space at home, such as an office, where you can concentrate without disruptions; or you may conduct your research at a slightly noisy, yet comfortable, coffee shop. How your research is done is up to you; just make it a priority in preparing for the interview.

Before we go any further, I want to talk about being selfish...

If you are called for an interview for the following day, do you have your interview outfit ready to go? Well, do you? Is your suit dry-cleaned; do you have a nicely pressed shirt or blouse; do you know where your shoes are, and are they polished; what will you wear for jewelry? You get the idea, right? You'll be surprised by how many people are caught off guard because they don't have their interview outfit prepared on a moment's notice. I think we've all had to run to the store to get a fresh shirt or blouse the night before an interview. This is enough to throw anyone off their game. When one of my friends passed away young, I searched in vain for my best suit to wear to his funeral, only to find it hanging in the back of another closet, rumpled and with a spot on it. Although it wasn't for an interview that I needed a freshly pressed suit, it was an important moment, nonetheless. Now I make sure that my suit is ready to go.

Clothes aside, there...

The old saying, "First impressions are everything" rings true in many cases. Sadly, many interviewers will decide to not hire a candidate within the first 30 seconds to 3 minutes, based on a poor first impression; so don't hurt your chances by arriving at an interview and making a poor first impression. In my mind, these interviewers who focus too much on first impressions are terrible at their job, but this is the reality of the hiring process.

Let's talk about various types of interviews before getting into the categories of tough questions. Today's interviewers use a variety of interview styles to hire the most qualified candidates. We'll look at four of the most common types of interviews:

Now that we've looked at the different types of interviews you'll face it's time to examine what makes or breaks your chances of getting the job. These, of course, are the questions you'll face.

The toughest questions you'll come across are the ones for which you're not prepared. Having done your research on the position, company, and competition, you should be well prepared to answer most, if not all, questions thrown your way. It's when introverts haven't done their research that they fail to answer the questions thrown at them. More than extroverts, introverts must do their research to be prepared and feel confident. Extroverts naturally feel confident and may forgo researching the position and company as thoroughly; but with their air of confidence, they might be able to pull off a fairly decent performance. The bottom line is that being prepared will give you the confidence you'll need to do well at the interview. Will you be nervous? Perhaps yes, perhaps...

The interview is not over until you send a unique thank you note to each person with whom you've interviewed. A lot of work? Definitely, but it's worth the effort if you want the position. Some rules about the thank you note:

These are the basic rules. Why do you send a thank you note? You send a thank you note after an interview to show your gratitude to the people who took valuable time out of their schedule. Most likely they didn't enjoy the experience—no offense intended—but had to ask you tough questions to determine if you are the right person for the job.

You finished the most difficult part of the job search process; you made it through the verbal part of the process. Now, as an introvert, the thank you note is going to be easy. In the thank you note, you'll...

This chapter discussed many aspects of the interview, including how to act at an interview, the types of interviews you may face, the different types of questions, the importance of asking the interviewers questions, and the thank you note. But to be successful, you must first conduct research on the position and the company. This will better prepare you for the interview. Preparation for the interview entails more than doing your research; it means that everything is in order—your wardrobe, practicing answering questions you've written down, and participating in mock interviews. Preparation has been an important theme in this book so far, and will continue to play a major role in your success.

So what's next? In the next chapter, we'll look at some difficult questions you may face from the three types I discussed in this chapter: traditional, situational, and behavioral-based. I'll also tell you what the experts say about the challenges introverts may face answering these types of...