How To Answer Interview Questions Confidently 2023

All in all, it’s not uncommon for interviewees to feel nervous while sitting in front of a panel during interviews. However, to land a job, you must not let nervousness manifest itself all over you, especially when answering questions. If you don’t know how to answer interview questions confidently and could use some help, my article is for you. Read to the end to learn how to build up your confidence and show it to interviewers. 

A List Of Suggestions

To convey confidence in an interview, you should implement a number of measures before and during the interview. 

Before The Interview

Research

During interviews, there is a good chance interviewers will ask you some questions to determine whether you know what you are in for. If you don’t want to get caught off guard and mess up your answers, gather information in advance. Spend a bit of time researching duties and responsibilities of the position you applied for. By doing so, you can gain a complete understanding of the position and tackle questions related to it with relative ease. 

Noteworthily, if you do your research well, you should be able to spot things that you may use for your own questioning. Asking interviewers for clarifications on specific matters is going to leave a positive impression in most of the cases. 

Practice

I am certain you have heard of the phrase “practice makes perfect” and it’s correct here as well. After you finish collecting information on what interviewers could ask you and what you could ask interviewers, it’s rehearsal time. Keep in mind that delivering your responses alone is not enough, you need to read them out loudly. Depending on the situation, you can practice in front of a mirror, a friend and so on until you nail everything.  

Assuming that you have practiced properly, your nervousness is going to disappear by the time you enter the interview room. 

During The Interview

Maintain Eye Contact

While it seems that eye contact is not overly important in the interview room, you should know that poor eye contact is the cause of many rejections. Maintaining eye contact indicates that you are interested in the conversation and letting your eyes wander around indicates that you are uninterested. Because of that, it’s a good idea to maintain eye contact for the duration of the interview. Of course, you should do things in moderation and avoid staring at interviewers.

Keep Smiling

In layman’s terms, humans perceive individuals who smile to be confident and approachable.  Moreover, smiling triggers the release of endorphins (a hormone that relieves stress and brightens mood). 

Don’t Be Restless

It’s common knowledge that movements of the body convey information and if you fidget all the time, it’s a sign of nervousness. If you wish to display your confidence, it’s strongly recommended that you avoid fidgeting. That means you should refrain from playing with your personal items, bouncing your legs, tapping your fingers, etc. 

Talk Slowly

Rushing to answer will make you look like someone that memorizes answers and couldn’t collect your thoughts. On the other hand, talking slowly in a clear voice demonstrates that you are in control of your thoughts. In addition to that, by moderating the pace, you will get more time to think of some good answers. Do your best to match the volume of the interviewer though.  

What Kinds Of Questions Can I Ask Interviewers?

At the end of the interview, it’s highly likely that you will receive the chance to question the panel. Asking panel questions lets you score additional points and reveal your interest but don’t ask about things that have been covered. Down below is a list of questions you can ask interviewers:

• For someone in this role, what does their typical work week look like?
• Does the company provide opportunities for professional growth and advancement?
• Do you have manuals that I can read before starting so I can be on the same page with my colleagues?
• Can you tell me more about the culture and values of the company?

Some Of The Unprofessional Things To Avoid In An Interview

• Using your phone while the interview is ongoing
• Cutting off the interviewer
• Talking negatively about your past employers or colleagues
• Inappropriate language (ex: slangs, curses, etc)
• Inappropriate dressing (ex: casual clothes for official roles)