Going to an interview “cold” is like facing a mountain lion. You’re facing a threat. In that interview-mountain lion moment, you have a fear response: you freeze, you panic, you flee (maybe not physically but energetically), you fight back, or you hold firm and get big the way you’re supposed to when you encounter a mountain lion.
You get small at precisely the time you want to be big and communicate your substance.
You distract at the very time that you want to be steady and calm and sure.
Just like stretching, interview warm-ups are easy. They can appear simple but they make a HUGE difference. Prompts help open up rusty channels. They can surprise you; you discover fresh language. Good prompts also offer a format to help you TAKE CREDIT and begin with “I”.
Here are some prompts I like!
For each one, try speaking out loud and repeating the phrases filling in the blanks for at least one minute, maybe even two minutes. Try them as a writing prompt, too. After a few go-rounds, try using one of the lines you like to start an interview response or begin a paragraph in a cover letter.
I am the one who … and that made all the difference.
People come to me for
People call me
I am known for
I’m the one in a group who
You can count on me for
I care about… and that’s why I …
I’m proud of
I know how to
I’m the best at
After years of working intensively with people on interview skills, what I know for sure is that everyone benefits from a warm up… Everytime I listen to people play with prompts, I feel energy rising. I notice people getting interested in what they have to say. I see signs of discovery… I see an authentic, powerful voice emerging, one that will engage and enroll employers!