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Interview Tips for Introverts

19 May 2023

Whilst few people enjoy interviews, they can be particularly difficult for people who might consider themselves introverts. Unfortunately, interviews are usually unavoidable when it comes to looking for a new job so it’s important that you do all the preparation you can. With any luck, the following tips might just give you the edge you need to be successful in your next interview.

Interview Preparation is Key

For most, the key to performing well in any interview is preparation; as Benjamin Franklin once said “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”. On that basis, do your research (you can never do too much), both about the company and the job you are applying for; this will help you in your interview by giving you a) an insight into the role and b) more to talk about, and it will make it easier for you to decide if it’s the job for you.

For even the most extroverted among us, preparation is vitally important. Showing that you know something about the company, and understand the role, will help build a fantastic first impression.

Practise Your Interview Techniques

Take some time to write up some questions you think you could be asked, and then write the answers you would give. Then, if you can, set up a practice interview. You can do this with a friend, a family member or an outside organisation. Here at OurBob.com, we offer the chance to work on your interview technique with us through our interview coaching service and this can help you to get it right on the day.

Take some notes along

If you can, make some notes for yourself prior to the interview. Don’t write an essay – just a page of key points you think you’ll need to be able to put across. This could be examples of previous work, real achievements or simply where you've gone the extra mile. You should also jot down a couple of questions you could ask at the end of the interview, in case you forget.

It is important for you to remember not to read from your notes during the interview, so make sure your writing is large and legible enough for you to read at a glance. It is one thing to glance at notes and another to spend five minutes buried in them while an interviewer is waiting for you to answer a question that they have asked.

During the Interview

When in the interview, sit upright and maintain eye contact with your interviewer(s) as much as you can. Introverts can, through habit, be more comfortable looking down at their laps, and avoiding eye contact. Remember, body language can do a lot for the impression you leave behind.

Lastly, smile! Smiling will help to relax you, make you come across confidently and more friendly, and will encourage a more conversational interview than one which could feel like you are being grilled by the people across the table!