I had an interview a week ago and it was terrible to say the least. I know one of the biggest issues for me during the interview was speaking, I wasn't able to speak confidently and when I tried I kept jumping all over the place and confused my interviewer. Obviously, the most given advice you'll hear in anything you want to get better at is practice… practice...practice. The thing is, I have practiced, I have practiced speaking to family members, I have spoken to inanimate objects, I have tried recording myself, I even took a class in college for speaking and sadly it's still hard for me. I will say though, from the beginning of my practice to improve speaking journey I have gotten ALOT better since then. I'm getting more comfortable with speaking and it's helped boost my confidence. I wanted to write this blog to share with you a few tips and tricks that have helped me and hopefully will benefit you in your future rendezvous. They are simple, but these tiny things will make the biggest difference.

First and foremost, it is very important to take deep breaths. When you take deep breaths it calms your nerves(if any) and allows you to think clearly and take control of what you're going to do next. After you have accomplished this and feel like you have gained control of your body, speak slowly. To stop yourself from rambling on and on, address one question at a time. A trick I use when answering technical questions is using the STAR method, "S (Situation) = Describe the background situation/circumstances in which the example took place. T (Task) = Describe the task at hand and/or particular problem or issue to be resolved [avoid judgmental statements and just stick to the facts]. A (Action) = Explain the specific action/s you took to complete the task/solve the problem. R (Result) = Explain the results of your action." (Learn, flatiron online resource). Practice this and it will allow you to stay on track with answering the question and not ramble.

Practicing good posture even if it's a phone interview or a zoom meeting where the interviewer can't see all of you. Keeping good posture allows you to stay focused and confident. Maintaining good posture will also actually remind you to keep a good breathing technique. I'd like to also add is, remember to dress the part. Studies show that dressing the part helps keep your mindset in that role. "Once you’re in the right mindset, you’ll notice a difference in your voice and language with your body language included. With a nice outfit on, you’ll find yourself sitting up straighter as you confidently explain your strengths." (Dresswelldowell, online doc, Chanele)

Lastly, I want to add that even though it's hard try your best to think positively, believe in yourself. For introverts especially, I feel you man. It's hard i know, but like i said at the beginning of this blog, anything hard and anything you want to get better at requires practice. I hope you all the best of luck!