There’s no shortage of inspirational quotes about the importance of having a positive attitude.
And for good reason. Maintaining a positive attitude serves you well in many areas of life. Are you surprised that includes going on an interview?
First, let’s acknowledge that interviewing can be stressful. The entire process is a mixture of excitement and anticipation, which can result in some serious nerves. There’s a multitude of things to address before, during, and after. It feels like the required level of preparation rivals researching for a school paper. But when interviews go well, which is largely in part due to your hard work, it’s a satisfying feeling.
So, while interviewing can be taxing, a portion of the hard work required includes what type of attitude you have going into a meeting. Maybe you feel nervous about your qualifications or maybe it’s been a long time since you’ve interviewed and you feel an extra level of pressure to do well. There are many strategies you can employ to keep your attitude upbeat, one of which is the use of “yet.” This is an especially useful technique if you find yourself losing confidence when answering a question.
Let’s say you’re asked if you know how to use a certain type of software and you don’t know. It’s always best to be honest about your experience, but you can keep a positive attitude while doing so. Saying, “No, I don’t know how to do that,” sounds final, as though you don’t believe you can learn.
You can adjust that response a bit to say, “No, I don’t know how to do that yet.” Adding in the “yet” keeps your answer open to change, growth, and professional development. Do you see how clear the differences are between the two responses? With “yet,” you remain honest about your knowledge and show that you possess soft skills, including a willingness to learn new tools. It can make all the difference and reflects an overall positive attitude.
It’s one of the many techniques available to keep a positive attitude during interviews. We’re not sure who originally said it, but we agree: attitude is everything.
Do you need help with interview skills? You can visit a no-cost Goodwill Career Center and ask a career advisor for assistance. Call 602-535-4444 to find a center near you or visit our locations page. Good luck with your job search!
