This guest blog is written by Andre Darmanin who is an innovative and collaborative leader with a passion for mentoring.
As a young professional starting out in your career, you will be inundated with advice about preparing for interviews. Websites like The Muse, Business Insider, LinkedIn and Forbes will post variations of this topic but it all boils down to the same thing: know the organization inside and out and respond to interview questions using the STAR method.
However, what these websites will not tell you, is the importance of breathing and being present during your interview.
Breathe
Proper breathing technique comes from a book I recently read Breathe by Dr Belisa Vranich. See her TEDx talk below:
This type of purposeful breathing may be familiar to anyone who has taken a yoga class. Much of what Dr. Vranich writes is purely scientific about how proper breathing technique controls our mind, body and soul. I regularly perform several of these exercises to relax, clear my mind and maintain a stronger core.
Having Presence
Speaking of maintaining core strength, technology has made us tend to slouch in our chairs. Every time we view our phones, our heads weigh down our necks making our necks arch forward creating stress on our lower backs, which also affects our oxygen intake. Not only is it bad posture, our body language to those seated at the opposite end is portrayed as negative or disinterested. This is what I learned in Amy Cuddy’s book Present. See her Ted talk below.
Maintain a positive attitude, know your stuff and have confidence that you are good enough, breathe properly and have a good posture. Whether you or not you get a job offer, learning from your experience is critical after the interview process.
This entry has been modified from an earlier blog post on The Vulnerable Leader.