On a mentoring session today we talked about how to stop being scared of job interviews. Let me share my framework.
Who’s stronger in a negotiation? The one who can stand up and walk away at any moment. In other words — the one who isn’t afraid of any outcome.
A job interview feels like the opposite. The candidate wants the job. The recruiter decides whether to wave you through or turn you down. The recruiter holds all the power.
Okay — but what if this weren’t an interview, but a B2B sale? A company needs certain services. The candidate provides those services.
Now the interview turns into a negotiation between two equal grown adults. Their goal: figure out what the client’s problem is, and whether the candidate can solve it. And, by the way, whether he even wants to.
And yes — you’re allowed to not want it. If it’s a negotiation between equals, either side has the right to say no.
For some reason candidates forget that an interview isn’t a one-way game. It’s a negotiation about possibilities. If you’ve understood the situation and decided not to go further — good, that’s a fine outcome too.
A friend of mine taught me this:
“You can only respect equals.”
So show your interviewer some respect. Don’t put yourself below them, or above them. Talk like two grown adults.