Ask a Legal Support Recruiter: “How Can I Overcome Shyness in a Job Interview?”

You have the skills and experience to get the job done. You have a proven track record of success in previous legal support positions. The trouble is you’re painfully shy during job interviews.

Sound familiar? If it does, you’re certainly not alone. Many more candidates struggle with this issue than you might think. The question is – what can you do about it so you ace your next interview and secure the job offer?

Here are some tips to help you:

Tip #1: Focus on your strengths.

What have you done really well in past jobs? What are the three or four areas in which you’ve outperformed your peers? How can you highlight those strengths during the job interview? The more you know your strengths and how to articulate them, the less focused you’ll be on your shyness.

Tip #2: Practice, practice, practice.

Confidence neutralizes shyness every time. The best thing you can do to gain confidence is to practice with a family member or friend. Ask someone you can trust to offer honest feedback to conduct a mock interview with you. Simply develop a list of questions you think you might be asked, such as “tell me about yourself,” “why should we hire you,” and “why do you want to work here?”

You can even video yourself during the mock interview so you can see for yourself areas that need some extra attention. By practicing and polishing your performance, you’ll feel more self-assured and less shy during the interview.

Tip #3: Prepare ahead of time.

Besides practicing your answers, make sure you’re well prepared ahead of time. Research the company and ask your recruiter for additional details about the organization so you have a firm grasp of who they are.

Tip #4: Don’t set yourself up for failure.

Many shy or introverted people are also highly critical of themselves, overanalyzing every word they say and every move they make. But doing so can make you feel even more stressed and anxious about an upcoming interview. Instead, focus on your strengths, prepare ahead of time, and don’t be too hard on yourself afterward. Keep in mind too, that most shy people tend to do well in one-on-one conversations, which is how the majority of job interviews are conducted.

Do you need more help with your interview performance?

Content the recruiting team at Kent Legal.

As Toronto’s leading legal support recruiting firm, we can help you with the job search process from start to finish – from fine-tuning your resume and preparing for interviews, to negotiating compensation. Browse available legal support jobs in Toronto now or contact us today to get started!

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