I enjoy reading your advice about careers every Friday. I just have a few interviews since I started working; sometimes even if I tried to relax before the interview there will be times that I feel very nervous when I'm in front of the interviewer. I just can't help it. How can I overcome my situation? I also find it difficult to express myself, I keep on practising in front of the mirror but still when the time comes I panic easily.
It is quite normal to feel nervous and even somewhat panicky before an interview and you are wise to anticipate this situation. In order to cope with these feelings, start by planning to arrive well ahead of time so that you can sit quietly and relax or read through your notes. Then when you are called into an interview, you will feel more relaxed and will have in mind the points you want to get across.
A good interviewer will work with you during the first few minutes of an interview to help you feel relaxed. However, not all interviewers are good interviewers, so you could be faced with a situation where you have to do something specific to overcome your nervousness. At times like this you will find it helpful if, before attending the interview, you make a list of questions you think the interviewer may ask. Write down the answers and practise them so that you feel confident when the question comes.
Take a moment to think before answering questions, then speak slowly and with confidence. A word of caution: some people who are nervous talk too much. Keep your answers short and to the point; don't ramble and don't try to go into too much detail. The interviewer will probably ask if he or she wants a more detailed answer.
I work in the travel industry as a branch manager, but my lifelong dream has been to work in the media. Is it too late to pursue this dream? Are there any night classes available in Dubai where I could learn the skills required? What sort of entry-level positions should I be looking out for in the fields of publishing or broadcasting? Friends have advised that I should look into doing something part-time to fulfil this passion.
It's wonderful to have a dream and I congratulate you for not letting it go. There are several ways you can go about investigating the possibilities for making your dream come true. The first that comes to mind is to explore the internet websites for Media City and Knowledge Village. You may be able to find companies that provide training courses for media positions such as broadcasting that are offered at night, or an intensive course that you could take over a period of a week or two, using your annual leave.
You mentioned publication. If you like writing, it might be helpful to pick up copies of local magazines to see what types of articles they typically publish. You may have interests or hobbies that would fit within the focus of a magazine and that you could write about. Sending well-written and well-formated articles to one or more of these magazines could open a door for you to do freelance writing. There are many online writing courses that you could complete in your off-hours to help you become a better writer and to increase your chances of having your articles accepted and published by newspapers or magazines.
If you know anyone who works for the broadcast media, you might explore the possibility that there would be small jobs at a television or radio station that you could do on a volunteer basis in the evenings to help out the paid staff, which would give you the opportunity to observe and to get a better idea of where you might fit in this industry.
Once you have a chance to demonstrate your ability and enthusiasm for the work, it is possible that your volunteer position could lead to a full-time, paid job.
- Daniel Ough, founder and director of jobsearchhelp.net, a division of Sandpiper Consultants, answers questions related to careers exclusively for readers of Friday.
Write to: Jobhelp Friday, P.O. Box 6519, Gulf News, Dubai, UAE Fax: 04 3441627. E-mail: friday@gulfnews.com
