Become a Natural

Think about something you're naturally good at. Maybe it's a sport, or a game, or a subject in school. Whatever it is, you can't remember a time when you weren't great at it. You were amazing from day one. Now think about something you're good at because you practiced. Is it harder to think of something? Easier?

We tend to think of our natural strengths more easily because they're so clear to us, but practiced skills are in everything we do. Nobody was born walking, talking, reading, and writing. All of the basic movement, verbal, mental, and social skills we have were built through practice.

Job interviews often get a bad rap as being intense, awkward, or nerve-racking experiences. This is mostly because very few of us are naturally good at interviewing. The truth is that interviewing well is a skill that can be learned: you just have to be willing to practice.

How do you practice? First, study the most common interview questions. These are the ones you are likely to have to answer no matter where you interview. Practice your responses in your head, then practice speaking them out loud. Finally, have a friend, family member, or YES Rep practice with you. Go through all the questions as though you are really interviewing, then critique and ask for feedback at the end. Always end a practice session by identifying what went well, and what you hope to improve next time.