Job interviews don’t come along very often, in fact, it often takes sending out dozens of resume submissions before you’re able to secure an interview. This can put a lot of pressure on you to present yourself in a positive manner. Even more so if you’re an introvert.

For the introvert, the interview process can be such a nerve-racking experience. Here are a few of the issues they face:

  • People often mistake them for being shy or antisocial which isn’t necessarily true. Introverts can be as social as extroverts but they do not wear their emotions on their sleeves.
  • They often come off as guarded, cold or even bored to the people they’re speaking with which again couldn’t be further from the truth.
  • An extrovert can walk into a meeting or interview with little to no preparation and “wing it” while being unprepared will leave an introvert worried and flustered.

How does an introvert overcome these issues? Here are a few tips that will help you properly prepare for a job interview:

  • Find out where the interview will be ahead of time. Just knowing where it will be held will help reduce your stress. Read our blog post “How Early Is Too Early for a Job Interview?” for some great tips.
  • If possible, find out who the hiring manager or interviewer is going to be and do a little background research by checking out the company website or searching for their LinkedIn profile. Knowing more about your interviewer will help put you a little more at ease because it takes away the element of the unknown and help you better engage.
  • Research the company. Find out about their history, what they do, what their future goals might be. This helps you to align your personal goals with theirs and it also prepares you if the interviewer asks you what you think about the company or why you want to work for them.
  • Research the position. It’s always good to find out what you can about the position you’re applying for because it allows you to share why you think you’ll be a great fit. It may also uncover a few questions you have about the position. Just make sure you ask them!
  • Write down some potential interview or small talk questions so that you can respond quickly when asked. As an introvert, the tendency is to think about a question in detail so you can provide a thorough answer so going through some scenarios is always a good idea so you can give a quick response.
  • Make sure you’re familiar with your own resume. Most introverts have a hard time bragging on themselves because they don’t want to come off as arrogant so all of their great accomplishments get overlooked. Remember, being too humble will get you nowhere in a job interview.

Finding a job as an introvert can be tough because they have a difficult time leaving an accurate impression on a hiring manager which is why they need to spend more time preparing. Hopefully these tips will help to properly prepare you and help you engage more effectively with your next interviewer!