4 Job Interview Tips for Introverts: ‘Think of It as a Getting-To-Know-You Session'

Job interviews are nerve-racking.

You have to prove you're the right candidate given your work history. You have to prove you'll be easy to work with by being calm and collected. Maybe you even want to show some of your personality by sharing a personal story.

It's a tough juggling act for anyone, but introverts in particular, who might be shyer or a bit more reserved, could find it especially tough.

"One of the most common questions we get from job seekers who self-describe as 'introverted' is how to confidently talk about themselves, their skills and career achievements during an interview," says Toni Frana, lead career expert at job list site FlexJobs.

Here are four interview tips for introverts.

'Think of it as a getting-to-know-you session'

One tactic that might help to quell nerves as you prep and enter the interview is to reframe the conversation.

"Think of it as a getting-to-know-you session," says Yolanda Owens, career expert at job search site The Muse, as an example. She adds that, "many people are used to doing that on a day-to-day basis and that feels comfortable. They can do that in their sleep."

She also suggests pretending, at least to yourself, that you already have the job and that the meeting is more about feeling you out for a potential project coming up.

Whatever your approach, the idea is that doing a reframe of the situation can help take some of the pressure off.

"It doesn't feel like an interrogation," she says. "It feels more like a conversation."

'Be as prepared as possible'

As with anything, preparation is key.

To begin with, "prepare what you'll say at the start of the interview and how you'll say it, keeping your tone confident, friendly and professional," says Frana. You don't need to write down an intro and memorize it word for word, but jot down a couple ideas for how to start out and keep them in mind so you have a bit of direction.

Consider the questions that come up in job interviews frequently and what the role entails. "Be as prepared as possible before your interview," says Frana, "including small talk, which can trip up unprepared candidates and cause them to overthink or feel overwhelmed."  

'Approach it in a way that feels more natural for you'

Are there tools that would make the interview process easier for you?

Some people like to use visuals during presentations, for example, whether they're slideshows or physical examples of their work. "I like to think out loud. I'll bring a sketch pad with me and I'll draw things out as I'm talking," says Owens.

"Approach it in a way that feels more natural for you," she says, and bring whatever items you need that would make sense for an interview.

The benefit of this is not just that it could make you more comfortable in the interview but that it could give you a sense of the culture you might be entering.

"If they look at you side-eyed then you probably aren't going to feel comfortable working with them," Owens says. "But if it's something that's embraced, then you know that you're going to be able to be your authentic self at work."

'Lean into your introverted nature'

There are also traits that come with being an introvert that are hugely beneficial for job interviews.

"In general, introverts are thoughtful listeners who often need to think carefully about what they're going to say before speaking," says Frana. "If faced with a challenging question, or you just need extra time to come up with an answer, lean into your introverted nature."

If a question comes up that you're not immediately sure how to answer, it's OK to take the time to consider what you want to say. That could lead to a stronger answer than saying immediately what comes to mind. Try saying something like, "that's interesting, let me take a second to think about that," suggests Frana.

Bottom line, Owens stresses that "there are no right or wrong answers in an interview." Your only real responsibilities in that setting are to talk about your experiences and gauge whether or not that place of work will be the right environment for you.

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