Interviewing over and over again can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. Whether you are going through multiple rounds for one position or running through a bunch of first interviews, the more interviews you do, the more likely you are to become worn out.
Developing a case of interview exhaustion is normal and something that everyone goes through at some point. It’s part of the game. The problem that happens here is when that burnout starts to creep into the interviews…and yes, it does happen. Especially as recruiters, we see this very often as we check in with candidates after their third, fourth, or even fifth interview.
So what can you do? It’s naturally bound to happen but how can you overcome it?
- Stay positive – Easier said than done, I know. But this is SO overlooked. When people are looking for a job, they focus heavily their resume, answering questions perfectly, dressing to the nines, etc. etc. etc. All good things. BUT people tend to put their emotional well being on the back burner. Going through interview after interview can be taxing on your ego and your self esteem, just facts. But please, please, please don’t let a long interview journey get you down. Sometimes it can take up to a few months to find the right job and making sure you have the right mindset from the beginning will help prevent any discouragement.
- Treat every interview like it’s the first – The worst thing that can happen is making it to the final round of an interview process, only to fall short because you didn’t bring your A game. The further you get in the interview process, the more important it is to remain energetic, enthusiastic, and thoughtful in your actions. In fact, you should be even more polished than the previous round, as you most likely will be meeting with higher levels of leadership. The best way to prevent this is to treat every interview like it’s the first one. Take care in doing your research on the interviewer(s), prepare new questions, and be ready to impress.
- Debrief with yourself after each interview – It’s important to reflect after each interview, whether it’s with yourself, your mentor, or even your friend. Think about how it went, what types of questions did they ask, do you feel like you were prepared enough for the interview…”Grading” yourself will help you build your interview skills and confidence, while identifying your strengths and areas of improvement.
We all know how taxing it is to find a new job. Just make sure your keep your chin up, celebrate the small victories, and know deep down that something will give soon and that new position will be worth all of the interviews!
