4 Jedi-like Mind Tricks to Help You Land That Job

When you're in the market for a job, it's important to use every advantage you can find. Even though there are more jobs available lately, standing out is still crucial.



Of course, there is the usual advice of researching, preparing, targeting specific companies and so on. All of that is important, but if you're looking to gain a competitive edge, there are a few psychological techniques that can boost your likeability during an interview and make a hiring manager see that you are someone who would be a great fit for their organization.



Here are 4 Jedi-like mind tricks that can help you land the job and make the hiring manager think that you are the person they are looking for:



Show that you're in control - When answering those question like, "Give me an example of a time that you had to overcome a challenge?", frame your answers in a way that show that you controlled the situation effectively rather than being controlled by it. Employers want to hear that you are someone who takes the initiative and solves problems effectively.



Give yourself a pep-talk - Before going in to an interview, give yourself a pep-talk. Tell yourself that you are capable of going into the interview with confidence and any other points you think are important. There is nothing wrong with talking to yourself and even though it might feel a little uncomfortable at first, positive self talk really helps get you focused and calms your nerves.



Creative visualization - There have been many studies that show that mental imagery is an effective way to improve success rates. How it works is you spend some time in the days leading up to the interview imagining a great interview that ended with a job offer. Don't go overboard and try to picture something outlandish, but try to visualize yourself succeeding at the interview. After a few times, you can almost convince your brain, which makes you more relaxed and more focused on the big day.



Don't fake smile - Fake smile are easily seen through, so don't do it. Instead, rely on other types of positive body language, like eye contact, leaning forward and the handshake. Of course, smiling is great and you should do it often, but only if it's genuine. In several psychological tests, even when people didn't realize that the person was fake smiling, test subjects still rated them lower in categories like trustworthiness.



What other things do think help impress an interviewer? Please share your thoughts in the comments.