Sep 15, 2021
Sweating Through My First Job Interview
I’m there, standing in front of the building. The time shows 10.45, I have 15 more minutes until the interview starts.
As confident as I am in myself, I walk right through the door, pass the inner courtyard and get up the stairs. All is going well, up until I enter the company’s quarters…
My body works up a sweat.
I go sit in the conference room, where the receptionist leads me. I cannot stop the sweats keep rolling from my head down to my shirt. I ask for a glass of water.
The water comes, I’m still sweating. 5 more minutes until the scheduled interview time.
A visit to the bathroom. Wiping the sweatdrops off.
Back in the conference room. Thoughts going through my head: “Why is my body reacting this way? Please stop sweating like a waterfall! My shirt is looking worse with each and every sweatdrop. Why do I even stress? I prepared enough for this! ”
Another visit to the bathroom. Nothing changes.
Back to the conference room.
Then finally, a little change of perspective: “Okay. Let it sweat man. Why bother? It brings no help whatsoever.”
Then I just kept sweating.
A lot.
Bothering less about it.
Well, I guess it is just the way it is when you make your first-ever job interview. As confident as I was in myself and as relaxed as I tried to be, it just didn’t work.
Then finally the interview started with two people from the firm's management. My first words?
“I’m a bit excited, excuse me for sweating a little bit”
Thankfully they were understanding. I mean, it is of course perfectly normal to get excited in a job interview. Also, it was my first one.
Then the interview took off. After just a couple of minutes, I’m not sweating anymore. Thank god.
From thereon the interview went better as I could have imagined. We talked for a whole hour. They found almost everything I said about myself impressive and they evaluated me as a good fit for the job.
I’m not going to dive into the details of what we spoke about. I would like to however deliver a little something that I learned today.
I was perfectly ready for the interview. They had already told me on the phone that they pretty much liked my application and all.
Sometimes you can’t control if you get stressed about something or not. At that moment, look into yourself and turn inwards. Accept what is happening and how your body is reacting to it. It will just become worse if you try to reject and change it.
So then just go along with it. Express it verbally if you feel the need. Wipe the sweatdrops off if you’re a waterfall, like me. Then keep on going. It will work out just fine.
Uncertainty?
Difficulty?
Got stressed?
Just keep on going.
