It’s 10am and your interview is in one hour. You spent the last four hours preparing. You have organized six different folders to carry in-hand, sorted by question, category, and context.
You have lists of every reference you can recall. You stayed up most of the night memorizing and then casually improvising the answers to potential questions your interviewer might ask.
You have researched the company and every single associated person you can find—every single article you could dig up about their finances, management, and team-building events.
You feel so prepared. You’ve got several pens, every shade of highlighter, three different sizes of post-its and two different kinds of journals—one with lines and one unlined.
You are good to go. More than ready.
But you are exhausted. Your brain is so full you can’t think.
Flying through breakfast, you didn’t taste a thing, and your meditation was interrupted by answers to interview questions swarming through your head like frenetic bees.
Did you over-prepare?
Over-preparing takes a lot of effort, but is easier than it sounds!
When we are trying to cover all our bases, we are bound to inject some nervous energy into the trying. We want to succeed. We want to do our best and appear to potential recruiters and employers that we are doing our best and that our best is beyond belief.
In a competitive job market, one can feel paranoid. Will you ever be enough? Will you be chosen—out of the multitudes—as the number-one-top candidate?
Of course you want to be completely prepared when an interview is looming.
But are you self-sabotaging with the what-ifs? What if you are complicating things?
For your big moment in the spotlight, you might consider the following:
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- What information will you need at your fingertips?
a) Resume and cover letter? ID, job description and note paper?
Tip: If you bring more than you need, you might get confused.
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- What professional outfit will provide you the most comfort and ease?
a) Soft and flexible fabrics? Comfy socks and shoes?
Tip: Think about temperature too. Be ready for heat or A/C.
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- Have you reviewed the company so you have some context?
a) Checked out their official website, relevant articles, and news?
Tip: For small talk, find something interesting you personally connect to.
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Beyond these items, only you will know what you truly need. You’ve studied and taken the time to let information sink in. You have measured your potential match from every angle.
Being prepared, it’s important to walk into an interview feeling calm and assured.
You are ready.
You do not have too much to sort through when you are looking for a particular document you want to refer to. You are dressed fashionably and comfortably. If you get sweaty under the pits, your sleeves are loose enough to ventilate. If you run cold, you’ve tucked an extra layer into your bag just in case. Your mind has a tidy list of anecdotes at the ready. You are in good spirits. You are letting the rest of your life settle down while you rise up and shine like the sun!
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