introvert job interview guide

Photo credit: CashNetUSA

If you’re an introvert like me, you probably don’t leap for joy at the prospect of going on a job interview. Let’s face it, selling ourselves to strangers doesn’t come easily to most introverts. That’s why I’m sharing an epic and awesome introvert job interview guide with you today.

But first, can I be honest with you?

As an introvert myself, I actually don’t think we’re at as much of a disadvantage in job interviews as others would lead us to believe. You see, we have a lot of goodies in our introvert job interview toolkit.

4 Introvert Job Interview Skills You Already Have

As an introvert, you have a wealth of skills and gifts to bring to a job interview. You’re already better prepared to wow a potential employer than you think. Here’s why:

1. You’re highly observant.

You pick up on subtleties others might miss. This comes in handy when you’re at a job interview and you need to pay attention to body language and facial expression cues from the interviewer.

2. You like to be prepared.

Introverts are known for thinking things through before acting. When it comes to job interviews, you’re more likely to do your research and prepare your answers ahead of time. After all, you are an internal processor, which means you need time to think before you speak. You’re not going to just breeze into an interview and rely on smooth talking and charm.

3. You’re an innovative creative.

You might think that creativity has no place in most corporate jobs. The same goes for jobs for introverts in the medical field, IT, and the government — creativity is useless in job interviews for these fields, right? Wrong.

A lot of people forget that creativity is the mother of innovation. Having a creative mind allows you to think outside the box, and problem solve. These are qualities that employers love! They’re also highly visible skills, which you can easily demonstrate in an interview by showing your past experience and achievements.

4. You know how to listen.

Introverts spend a lot of time listening and observing. It’s in our nature to let others take the helm of conversations, as we offer a patient ear. But there’s a caveat.

A word of caution about listening more

My friend Patricia Weber, introvert coach and author of Introvert Communication Toolkit notes that “introverts listen more, but not necessarily better”. These are wise words, which I’ve taken to heart.

Although we introverts may listen more than we speak, we can easily fall into the habit of only half-listening as we daydream or mentally go over our to-do lists. And who can blame us? Our interior world is rich and interesting.

To stay present, and listen better, try doing mindfulness meditation, and other mindfulness practices which train your brain to stay in the Now.

How To Improve Your Introvert Job Interview Skills

Now, you might be wondering how you can improve on your existing introvert job interview skills, and also master some new ones you hadn’t thought of. This topic is covered in wondrous detail in the amazing introvert job interview guide I’ll be sharing later in this post.

But first, I want to make sure you don’t miss a crucial step in your job interview prep.

One of the things that annoys me most about extrovert-centric advice for introverts in the workplace is that it tends to work from the outside in. Introverts, who are internally oriented, focusing on their inner world of ideas and thoughts, need strategies that work from the inside out.

Do this first:

Yes, as an introvert, you need the concrete action steps, body language tips, and communication pointers for acing a job interview. But you also need to prepare internally. Allow me to explain what I mean.

Say you’re going on a trip, and you’ve got everything prepared and planned to a T. You’ve checked off your packing list, booked your hotel, and scheduled your activities. But wait a second, there’s something essential that you forgot.

You neglected to book your flight! That’s a big one, and you might be thinking you would never forget to take care of such a massive detail. But when it comes to introvert job interview prep, many innies neglect a step which is just as critical. You see, it’s like this:

For introverts, our interior world, which is comprised of our thoughts, values, self-esteem, and mindset, is what gives us wings in this life. We can’t get very far without making sure our mind and heart are on board.

So, how does this relate to introvert job interview skills?

It’s important for introverts to cultivate true introvert confidence and connection skills before going on an interview. Mastering your mindset and creating social and emotional confidence will help you to show employers your true value. Not only that.

It will make you aware of what an amazing asset you are to a potential employer. Instead of sabotaging your own success, by playing down your accomplishments and skills, you’ll feel more comfortable sharing your strengths.

I have a free 30-day blueprint for cultivating confidence and connection skills as an introvert. Join my innie tribe and get my introvert confidence lessons, and free 50-page Introvert Connection Guide.

Alrighty, now that you’ve got some inner tools to prepare for your interview, let’s get onto that detailed introvert job interview guide, which offers smart steps to impress a potential employer.

It’s all laid out for you in the below Introvert’s Guide to Job Interviews infographic, which was created by CashNetUSA.

introvert job interview