How to Be Confident in a Job Interview (4 Things That Work)

I've sat across the table in more than 10,000 interviews, and my clients have earned more than $30 million in new salaries. These four things come up again and again in the people who walk into the interview calm and walk out with the offer.

Why do you feel so nervous in a job interview?

Because most people only interview when it really matters, so every interview feels like life or death.

Maybe that's once every three years, once every six years, maybe even once every 10. And it's usually when you're most desperate for a change, because you've outgrown your role, you feel underpaid and undervalued, or you're working for a toxic boss.

So the stakes feel huge. You've got to land this job, otherwise you're stuck where you are.

And when it feels like that, you come across as a bit desperate, a bit needy, like you're trying too hard. Worse, you stop checking whether the role is actually right for you. That's how people end up jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

How do you take the pressure off a job interview?

Detach from the outcome, because an interview is just a business meeting.

If it goes badly, fine, who cares? You never have to see that person again. And the more relaxed you are, the better answers you give, the warmer your body language is, and the less rushed you are to answer.

I'm not saying look disinterested. But coming across as less desperate signals that you've got options, maybe that you're in demand, and that gives you a higher status in the interview. More options means less pressure on each one.

What should you do before answering "Tell me about yourself"?

Ask a qualifying question, so you know what they actually want to hear.

When you're nervous, you rush to answer, and in that rush you answer what you think they want to hear. Spend 10 seconds asking first instead:

Sure, I'd be happy to. But what exactly would you like to know? Is it something about my past, what I'm doing right now, or something else?

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That buys you thinking time, and it means you answer the real question instead of the surface-level one.

Because they don't really care about your answer to "Tell me about yourself". They're listening for two things. Can you solve my hiring problem? And are you worth listening to for the rest of this interview, or should I just go on autopilot? Go off on a tangent about playing football at school in a senior interview, and you're off to a losing start.

Want to know what they're really asking with the 20 questions you'll get in every six-figure job interview? Get the free interview guide here.

What should you say when you don't know the answer in an interview?

Say so, then show them how you'd close the gap.

When the stakes feel high, there's a temptation to over-embellish and over-promise. It makes sense, because you want to give the best impression. But it leads to more anxiety, more stress and more fear of being found out.

And hiring managers know how to ask the follow-up that tests your first answer. You might give a super polished answer to an obvious question, but when they ask one or two follow-ups, it can all collapse like a house of cards.

So when you don't know something, say it:

I actually haven't done that before. But this is how I'd close the gap. This is who I'd speak to, this is how I'd get the experience, and this is my plan to get up to speed.

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That makes you more trustworthy. And it shows something more important, that you've got initiative and you come with batteries included to solve the gaps in your knowledge.

The psychology principle here is called the Pratfall effect, and it basically means that when someone who's clearly good at what they do admits a weakness, we end up trusting them more, not less. Nobody expects you to know everything about everything.

What question should you ask at the end of an interview?

Ask, "What concerns, if any, do you have about hiring me for this role?"

You're never interviewing in isolation. There might be 10 other people going for the same job, some with more experience or more credibility. It's naive to think there'd be no objections to hiring you, and asking gives you the chance to answer them while you're still in the interview.

Sometimes it's a simple misunderstanding, something they misheard, or something you didn't explain clearly. Then you can clear it up there and then.

And if it's a real gap, that's even better, because you can show them how you've closed similar gaps before:

I appreciate that, and it's something I'm aware of. That's what I wanted to show you. This is how I've overcome similar things in the past, and this is how I'd close the gap here.

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Maybe they still say the gap's too big. That's fine, you can't win every interview. But I've seen companies buy into someone because they were raw, authentic and genuine, and decide to give them a shot anyway.

One thing I can promise you is that they've got a concern. If you never get the chance to address it, you'll get rejected, or worse, you'll just get ghosted.

What mistakes kill your confidence in an interview?

• Treating it like life or deathIt makes you rush, sound needy and skip checking whether the job is right for you. Treat it as a business meeting.
• Rushing to answerAsk a qualifying question first, then answer what they really want to know.
• Bluffing to cover a gapThe follow-up will find it. Own the gap and show your plan to close it.
• Leaving without asking about their concernsThe concern is there either way. Asking means you get to answer it.

The bottom line

Being confident in a job interview isn't about having the perfect answer. Detach from the outcome, ask qualifying questions, own the gaps and ask for their concerns, and you'll walk into the interview calm, clear and in control.

Read next: How to Answer "Tell Me About a Challenging Project" (Senior Answer) · 5 Questions to Ask in a Job Interview (Built on Psychology)

What's your next step?

If you want to work on this with me directly, here's where to start.