Like many folk, I need a job. I’ve been working really hard on the application process and getting a really good return in interviews. A while back in a ‘dream job’ scenario (it’s just admin, nothing swish but important to me) I worked hard preparing, did a dummy interview, worked on predicted questions and researched the organisation and did really well in the interview. Then I was sat in front of a pc with a list of simple tasks to complete in a set time and made a complete balls up of it. It’s the sort of stuff I’m so familiar and comfortable doing it’s ridiculous; I didn’t get what had happened and put it down to nerves.

The thing is it’s just happened again. Today I went for another ‘dream job’ after working really hard on the application. I did the dummy run, research etc. and took in a portfolio of work. I was told that I’d been shortlisted out of over 50 applications, which was good and again did really well in quite a long interview process. Then came the ‘in-tray’ test. It was again a few simple IT tasks to be completed in more than ample time (again stuff I’m absurdly familiar and competant in). I seemed to go into some sort of panic mode, mis-read instructions, got hugely flustered and couldn’t slow myself down to think clearly and check things; effectively I made a complete pig’s ear of it – again! I’m hoping that other aspects of my interview will be enough, but I doubt it, in the economic environment you’ve got to shine and I didn’t.

The thing is I really don’t know what’s happening, I’m calm and considered in the face-to-face stuff (which wouldn’t be my expectation) and then lose it in the stuff I’m good at and make myself look an idiot. I can see myself building up some sort of mental block here if I don’t get this sorted. I have another interview (for a less desireable part-time, fixed term job) in just over a week’s time with a similar exercise and I can’t afford to throw it away again; I need some tips. It’s not about practice, I know the stuff perfectly and do it all the time, I just need to keep a grip and do what I know I can do well. I don’t know whether it’s the time pressure (although it’s more than ample) that’s throwing me or the sudden transition from quite an intense inverview to a technical situation that’s the trouble, but it’s really getting me down and is so far off what I’m capable of doing.

Any thoughts?

If it’s stuff you can do and with plenty of time I can only assume you’re either over-confident and it’s not really that simple or you’re over-preparing yourself and despite thinking you’re calm under pressure you fall apart.

Stop thinking they’re all ‘dream jobs’ and perhaps you’ll be a little more relaxed. You’re setting yourself up for a fall. Hope you find something soon…

Less haste, I guess. Give yourself time to breathe, take stock, assess the situation and inhabit that particular set moments you are in (not those gone, or coming). In doing this identify and relish the familiarity of the objects, equipment, software and that which you have used competently numerous times before. Once settled, proceed and achieve task.

Sounds like nerves, plenty of ways of overcoming.

PJ, I know how you feel, I am also in the same position and had countless knock backs, I have even been told after the interview that they were very sorry as they were really ‘taken’ with me and that I had done fantastic in the lead up tests, but they ‘had’ to give the job to someone else who had more experience. Same old **** story. I have even offered to do some work experience for free and work for less than advertised whilst I was gaining experience, but no luck.
Now I feel like I just can’t be arsed anymore wasting my time applying for shite low paid jobs that I don’t even want just because I need the cash. Six months down the line and I have just found out that I won’t get jobseekers anymore as my wife is working 3 hrs. over the cut off of 24hrs per wk. on min wage, great, so now we only have £14 a wk. left over to feed the family on…WTF!!!

Sorry, had to get that off my chest…rant over.

Thanks, it’s not over confidence, I guess that I’m not by nature a confident person, I just seem to end up in a needless panic and rushing through when I really should just be taking stock and doing what I normally do well.

The less haste/sensible approach is just the thing. The thing is this is exactly what I meant to do after the first time (which as I said I put down to nerves and perhaps some inexperience in interview settings). The fact that I did exactly the same things today, has really shaken me. Perhaps I’m focussing too much on the face-to-face stuff and taking my eye of the ball elsewhere; it’s worrying though.

— Edit —

Ace_sparky, yeah I get the ‘more experience’ thing. I’ve done a few interviews for admin positions in the NHS and seem to have done really well only to be told that there were others with loads of NHS experience (which they really seem to value). What’s tough with these two though is that I know that I threw it away rather than was out performed/under experienced or just out of my depth. If you wife’s working 24 hours a week couldn’t you get Working Tax Credits as a family or something? It is really tough out there but keep going mate something will turn up (so I’m told) but getting up tomorrow morning at 5 to mop floors is going to be a bit of a trial for me!

If it all starts going haywire take a brief timeout and break tasks down into mental lists. This might help you structure things better.

Hypnotherapy can also help some people overcome problems and might be worth considering.

Good luck buddy 🙂

I went after a couple of CAD jobs before I got my current job.. part of both interviews involved some pretty simple 3D CAD excercises which I could have done in my sleep, however I managed to monumentally screw them up, which I’m sure prevented me from getting an offer..
Nerves innit..?

I don’t know if this is possible but if you can find them online practice a few of the likely exercises at home?

I don’t know if this would be allowed but I always find playing some of my favorite “work music” (what ever that may be for you) always allows me to settle into work. This does require them allowing you to wear headphones though which they might not be keen on in the work environment.

Go to hte toilet before you go into the interview room, look into the mirror, and say loudly,

“i will be myself”

Then walk out and be yourself.

Either read the question analysing each word, or do the task and re-read it. The amount of questions I have answered only to re-read it noticing a “not” in the question. Also calm the **** down remember they want to employ someone!

I know people who’ve had good results with beta blockers for stuff like passing driving tests.
I’ve not tried them myself, so don’t know how they make you feel. It might be a problem with the interview part, not feeling yourself or whatever.

Not suggesting this is THE answer, as plenty of people won’t be comfortable turning to a pharmaceutical to calm the nerves. Just a suggestion to add to the others.

Sounds like you’ve got the skills but your nerves are getting the better of you, and at each interview, your thinking about the last interview and the outcome

As one of the other STW members says, evaluate the test carefully before rushing into it. Take your time, understand the question. Re-write the question out on a piece of paper, re-evaluate it, then decide on your best course of action

I bet you can download similar tests from the net, so why not download a load and work through them in an interview type environment??

I get to interview a lot of people for jobs and nerves are very common – but we try to make people relax. A good interviewer will see through your nerves and if they can see a good skilled worker – then the jobs could easily be yours

Good luck pal

Stop preparing for the interviews. That’s like rubbing yourself up before going out on a date, it can only end badly.

I’ve had the chance to do some work with Adrian Moorhouse’s consultancy, Lane4.

One of the guys there gives a nice story about top level rowing. The message is this:

All the way up to the big event/interview, make sure you are prepared. So, ensure that you know your s–t and have a plan for the exercises.

When you are at the interview, you have to execute the plan. This is what practice/training is for.

But, at a certain point, you have to go beyond the plan and really push yourself to deliver a perfect performance.

In other words, YOU NEED TO DEVELOP YOUR PLAN..!

Good luck.

Are you sure that the tests are really “a few simple IT tasks to be completed in more than ample time “? Is it not perhaps the case that they are actually more difficult than they at first appear (after all, they are being used as part of the selection process). If you are missing this, then you may approaching them in completely the wrong manner. As has been said above, don’t start all cocky with them. Start by thinking they are difficult and need careful analysis before action.

Walk into every interview on the assumption you won’t get it? Not sure you’ll get that advice from many professionals but it works for me

Well after a not very good night’s sleep I’m convinced that it was nerves or some sort of subdued panic attack. The IT tasks were simple and there was time to do the; more to the point I knew exactly how to do them.

I was calm and relaxed in the interviews but from the moment I sat down in front of the computer (and I spend a huge chunk of my time in front of a computer) I felt really panicky and just wanted to walk out; from that point on I just didn’t seem to know what I was doing. Like I said, this is the second time that this has happened and it’s beginning to worry me. Obviously I need to let it go and concentrate on the next interview, but I’m find that tough at the moment.

Does sound like a nerves thing.

Are you given some sort of written exercise/brief to follow? The temptation may be to prove how fast/efficient you are so you read it over quickly and then try to pile in and get it done, but then you’re likely to realise that you’re possibly doing something wrong as you misunderstood the instructions, leading to flustered corrections etc etc…

Read it slowly, literally slowing the pace at which you look at the words. Read it again, this time making a few notes and/or underlining certain bits that are important. By this time you’re hopefully a bit calmer. Once you definitely know what you’re being asked to do, and you have the necessary technical/admin skills by the sounds of it, do it.

You are what’s commonly known as a “flapper”.
I’ve seen it many times. What you need to do is take a minute to clear your mind and approach things in a measured manner BEFORE you even attempt it.
It’s not as hard as it sounds. Practice stopping yourself doing something mid flow and slow that shit down.

It’s a simple case of written instructions describing simple IT/administrative jobs to be done in a given time period. There really isn’t anything complex and at work I’d have no problem but in the test situations I panic, my mind races and I just don’t seem to know what I’m doing. Consequently I make a right mess of things and end up looking incompetent.

As I’ve said I’ve another interview with another ‘in tray’ test coming up and I need to work out why I’m getting so flustered (without actually getting panicky and setting myself up for failure before I even get there).

— Edit —
A Flapper, yes that sounds about right, and yet in the verbal interview situation (which I’ve never expected to be good at) I’m calm, considered and suprisingly good.

Flapper sounds right.

Whilst it may be tempting (consciously or sub-consciously) to try and show how efficient/quick you are, you need to remember that any employer wants things done properly first and quickly second.

So, sit. Breathe. Read the instructions slowly. Look away. Breathe. Read them again, making notes/underlines/whatever if necessary to pick out any key bits. This also helps to reinforce your understanding of what you’re being asked to do. Look away. Breathe. Read the first instruction (assuming it’s a list). Do it. Check it. Assuming you’re happy, read the second instruction. Do it. Check it. Repeat to end. If at any point you feel flustered, stop. Look away. Breathe. Check what you’re doing, correct if necessary, carry on.

Walk into the interview with the mindset that you don’t want the job.

a little breakfast sharpener would help.

highland park? hmmm relaxing.

sounds like you have the skills and experience you need and just need to have some calming techniques to hand. two suggestions, 1) rescue remedy from boots, it really does help! 2) if you have time look up some NLP techniques that can help you retain a calm approach to the task in hand. a lot of these require you to visualise yourself in a calm, relaxed scenario. once you can do this, you then need to recall that state of mind in the situations when you are not at your best. sounds a bit airy fairy but it works well for me

Maybe there’s something missing? Can you juggle? Everyone is always impressed with a spontaneous display of juggling

Having recently been in your position myself, and the better half is in now, all I can say is keep going. If you’re getting interviews then that’s a lot more than a lot of people. One will come good. The applicants per vacancy at the moment is ridiculous

The job you end up with will doubtless be the one you were best suited too. The mythical ‘dream job’. Chin up 😀

Some might see it as cheating but maybe a small dose of Propranolol?

Calm you down nicely and you’ll just work your way through the interview 🙂

You’ve got the yips. Getting too ‘meta’ – thinking about thinking.

Dartitis. I had it myself. Couldn’t release the dart. Had to play left handed for a few weeks, switched back to right and was fine again. Happened to Eric Bristow.

Use your left hand for a while, that’s my advice.

If you are following the commonly held advice to imagine your interviewer naked you may be inadvertently staring at her tits.

This could in fact count against you.

I used to do exactly what you’re describing in exams. It’s a horrible feeling when you come away from something knowing that you haven’t managed to do your best.

Read it slowly, literally slowing the pace at which you look at the words. Read it again, this time making a few notes and/or underlining certain bits that are important. By this time you’re hopefully a bit calmer. Once you definitely know what you’re being asked to do, and you have the necessary technical/admin skills by the sounds of it, do it.

This is really good advice. I took to writing out the question again with a bullet pointed list of what I needed to do. Really helps fix it in your mind. I also had a little soft toy tiger called ‘Paws for Thought’ that went into every exam with me. He was a little bit of comfort and reminded me to relax and take my time every time I looked at him.

Good luck!

I also had a little soft toy tiger called ‘Paws for Thought’ that went into every exam with me. He was a little bit of comfort and reminded me to relax and take my time every time I looked at him.

I would definitely recommend taking a cuddly toy or two in with you – shows you’re a warm and approachable candidate.

Has it occurred to you that some inner hidden part of you does not want to work in this type of job any more and you are sabotaging it without realising you are doing it?

You seem to be doing fine in areas that can be checked by yourself and others – applications, trial runs etc but when there is no chance for anyone to point out errors (yourself or someone else helping you)and help you correct them, you are not following through.

I realise it may be just stress as interviews can be horrid, but maybe there is something else in life that’s the real issue? Sometimes what we think we want, are conditioned to want or what we have sought to achieve for a very long time turns out not to be what we want at all, and that can be tough to come to terms with. Just a thought.

never go on a date with a loaded gun.

Seeing as you have worked for the NHS, can’t they prescribe a one off dose of DZ 5mg should do to be taken 30mins or longer before turning up at interview?