How to Win Job Interviews When You're a 100% Introvert

Your resume is a work of art. Your cover letter is perfect. And no one fits this job better than you.

But here goes the problem:

You're a 100% introvert who, put it nicely, doesn't like ongoing interactions, greetings, handshakes, questions, and being the center of attention. In other words, you can't stand anything related to successful job interviews.

Yes, it's tough. It's stressful, challenging, and terrifying. But no matter how introverted you are, you won't be able to avoid interviews while searching for a job.

The good news is, you can nail them!

Learn how to make introversion suit you and win job interviews despite this character trait of yours.

1) Prepare and practice

Did you read books on introversion such as The Genius of Opposites by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler or The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Olsen Laney, for example? All they describe preparation and practice as the best friends of introverted personalities.

So why not use them for your benefit?

  • Do deep research of a hiring company. Sure, it would be wise to do for all candidates regardless their character traits; but this step is significant for introverts as they need to prepare for what exactly they will say during an interview. Also, unknown environments are always stressful for introverts; but when you go to a job interview with the knowledge on a company's structure and culture, it doesn't seem too alien anymore.
  • For that, write down the questions recruiters might ask and then rehearse your answers in front of a mirror. No need to plagiarize from other candidates who share their interview experience online: be smart, prudent, and persistent.
  • Ask a friend or a family member to help you: conduct an interview session to practice your answers and points you might want to make. It's okay to write them down too and bring to the interview with you.

2) Highlight your strengths

Today is the hour of triumph for introverts because all those fabulous qualities they naturally have are exactly what most recruiters want to see in candidates. So, don't forget to highlight your strengths such as creativity, written communication skills, and independence when crafting a resume.

During a job interview, connect those qualities to examples of your accomplishments: tell about that successful project you managed alone, demonstrate your portfolio, prove productivity with links to your online work, if any, etc.

For introverts, it's easier to connect to individuals rather than groups. Teamwork is not your strength, but it won't be a problem for smart recruiters. More than that, they can even help you benefit from this peculiarity:

  • Make personal connections by switching eye contact between each member of a recruiting team when answering their questions. Another trick to try: conclude answers with return questions to interviewers, which makes them see you understand insights and are ready to refine yourself. And don't forget to ask these questions at the end of an interview.
  • Another strength of introverts is they think first and speak afterward, so don't be afraid to take your time when answering questions. Just let interviewers know that you need some time to think by saying something like "It's an interesting question, I need a moment to formulate my thoughts." Nothing is wrong with that.

3) Apply for jobs that suit your introversion

Easier said than done, especially when bills don't pay themselves. And yet, whenever possible, try to apply for jobs involving quiet alone time, written rather than phone conversations, work from home, and long-standing routine rather than constant rush. It would be the case when your natural skills could make you a great fit.
What could be a perfect job for introverts?

Introverts have strong analytical and concentration skills. They are attentive to details, creative, and disciplined. They prefer to work alone or in small groups, focus on one task at a time, and choose to observe before getting involved. Applying for positions that need such traits from employees, you can find a job with perfect conditions.

Consider interviews for positions such as:

  • writer/technical writer. Author John Green once said, introverts "want to tell a story but don’t want to make eye contact while telling it." It's what makes writing so kicky: you conduct research, create documents, and craft articles sharing different stories.
  • accountant. It's where your organization skills come in handy. Spending days with numbers rather than people could be another argument for some introverts to choose this profession.
  • social media manager. Introverts prefer working solo, but it doesn't mean they are anti-social. Online interaction is their strong suit, so why not try SMM not much conversation besides the computer?
  • film/video editor. Working in solitude, introverts can bring creativity to light here.
  • graphic designer. Both in-house and freelance designers work alone and interact with clients via online messengers, as a rule. Isn't that what most introverts find attractive?

Need more jobs to try? Consider the lists from Business News Daily and Trade Schools.

And remember:

Introverts have a super set of skills to win job interviews. Once you've learned how to highlight and manage your strengths, you'll double or even triple your chances to get hired.

Views: 827

Comment by Keith D. Halperin on September 22, 2017 at 10:30pm

Telecommuting positions would be very helpful for introverts, and not just them.

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