Interviewers don't take me seriously

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It seems like a lot of the job interviews that I go to I get treated differently. It seems like a lot of interviewers tell me not to be nervous or ask me if I'm nervous. A lot of them also seem to laugh when I answer some of the questions and give each other looks. I think part of it is the way I talk. I think I sound younger and also the trouble I have with reading nonverbal cues.

I had an interviewer say the same thing to me a few months ago, but they also commented that I wasn't making eye contact. So try making eye contact to appear less nervous. Interviews require advanced social skills so eye contact is important to them. My suggestion is to practice some scripted answers instead of answering on the spot. You can google "STAR interview questions and answers" and see some examples. Make sure to always answer related to the job. Like if they say, "Tell me about yourself" tell them about your skills/ job experience, not your favorite movies. Something like that could make them laugh. It's also unprofessional for them to laugh.

^ That might be it an I also know that I sometimes make pauses when I talk. It doesn't always mean that I'm nervous, but I just have trouble putting my thoughts into words sometimes.

When I answer questions it's always job related so I don't think I'm saying anything too strange or inappropriate. I have a lot of questions scripted and I watch a lot of interview videos. I get thrown off when I have a question I didn't get ready for though. I'm not really sure if they are making fun of me, but maybe they are uncomfortable.

I love my wife but I did notice that something was a little 'off' when we first started dating. I had no idea she was actually very nervous because she hid it well but I was probably subconsciously picking up on something. I eventually learned that she has had very little luck with interviews and is working well below her skill level despite being very attractive an smart.

If I had to sum it up in one sentence, I would say that she has little 'presence' when communicating with people she doesn't know. People probably get the wrong idea that she isn't really invested in the conversation (or the potential job) because of how she presents herself.

Of course, I now know she is likely somewhere on the spectrum (it runs in her family) but at the time, there was a slight "uneasy" feeling I got talking to her first. Unfortunately when there are 100+ candidates, this is enough for someone to not want to take a "risk". I had a similar problem and I found joining Toastmasters helped immensely.

I once took a NYC Police test unprepared and scored a 97 but knew I failed because I should have scored 110, but because I was not black, a veteran etc... it becomes nearly impossible.

Yup I've had interviewers laugh at me and mock the way I spoke I tried practicing but 9/10 they notice and I'm left broke without job.

I know how you feel though

I had an interview last week and I was pretty nervous about it and making a fool of myself. But it actually went pretty well I tried to be mindful of making some eye contact and trying to keep control of my hands(without noticing I will move them around a lot and touch my face which can make me look more nervous than I am). That aside though the interviewer had kind of a laid back persona like they seemed more concerned about me being interested than if I gave a 100% perfect first impression. I did kind of fail the 'tell me about yourself' bit because I just wasn't sure what to say. Just gave them something about how I have just been looking for work(obviously not that interesting)If I had more experience I may have talked about skills I have or something.

Either way though I got a second interview so I did something right...though I was worried when I couldn't come up for much to tell about myself, but then we just moved on to the rest of it. It would seem there isn't a single particular approach per say like I was worried it would be more formal than it was but it was pretty casual. Nonetheless I am still a bit nervous about the second interview.

Congrats on the call-back! The "tell me about yourself" question is hard for just about everyone. I haven't done a lot of interviews, in part because I've usually applied for jobs that were a natural fit for me, so I didn't have to hunt for answers, but what has worked for me (regardless of my experience level) is highlighting my best personal qualities--like being a responsible, hard worker who's eager to learn more--and my passion/sincere interest in the sort of work I'd be doing...though those may be some generic answers, I guess. I searched a few sites and came across a PDF that I think has some good pointers on it. It's rather long, but "tell me about yourself" is the very first example on it, and it goes on to cover more good stuff. Question #29 addresses a lack (or perceived lack) of experience, and question #4 even explains what to do when the interviewer doesn't talk at all (I’ve never experienced that one, thank god). It also explains the purpose behind each question--though explaining how the wrong answer could catch you in a "trap" makes things sound WAY worse than they really are. Most interviewers are just looking to find a good employee, not set them up for a scandal! I think this document is aimed at people in highly competitive situations, which doesn't apply to a majority of job seekers.


https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2382432/ ... 1568911401

WARNING: I wouldn’t recommend reading all of the tips—this mass of information could make anyone dizzy!!

Regardless of what answers you give, try to put them in your own words, instead of memorizing, verbatim, sentences or phrases that a complete stranger wrote in a style you would never, ever use yourself. If the interviewer doesn’t like a style you’re comfortable with, it wouldn’t likely work out with them, anyway.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to rehearse with someone who can give you fair, helpful feedback.