how to handle low confidence during interview

[s ravi chandran]

Hi,
I have about 5 years of exp in java now. I have spent most of my time in working on projects that really were not doing much, but were complicated due to people mishandling the design and then putting fixes on top of it for each bit and piece error. I then decided to change my type of work and joined finance domain as technical consultant. Here the funny thing was that I was put on bench from day 1 as they did not assign project to candidates directly. It was a new thing for me as I was coming from product development companies. Still I believed I can still learn. I got screened for projects even before I could understand what skill they want in a candidate. By the time I understood it, the chances were lost. I was put on a training program which did not start for many months, then was on hold for a client who eventually released me due to inability to start the project after couple of months. Now I have spent considerable amount of time on bench due to many unfortunate things that have happened.

The risk of being fired is lurking around, even though I feel I am at my best in terms of my knowledge and understanding in Core Java. I am confident of handling any nook and corner of it in any interview. But due to this continuous setbacks for so long, my confidence to clear interviews are at the lowest. I have realized this recently when I was asked logical questions to solve scenario based problems and I was unable to come up with a solution. But the moment I step out of the interview, I get the solutions in an instance. I am lost in my future, I do not know what will happen to me. I am contemplating resigning from this consultancy and searching job search afresh, as every day there is a reminder that I was not good enough.

I am into software development due to my passion for programming, I like to solve problems. But the way things are going, I am not sure I will be able to sustain it.

[Tapas Chand]

IMO best way to boost confidence is to attend the interviews...

[Jayesh A Lalwani]

When you go for an interview, you should pretend that you are having a conversation with co-workers. Pretend that you are already employed that and you interviewees are new co-workers and you are telling them about your past job.

[Manish Hatwalne]

Do not think too much about reasons for not having "enough" confidence, no matter how valid they are. Keep preparing from sites like geeksforgeeks.com or even here abd appear for interview, and while you talk - just remind yourself that you're trying to explain what you know. Be honest and to the point - it won't be long before you gain your confidence.

Good luck! :-)

[Guillermo Ishi]

I think all these suggestions are great. Some of it is just unfamiliarity and strange feeling of it, so you might want to have mock interviews with your friends as the interviewers. Maybe the real interview will seem like something fun and familiar then. I remember being at the interviews for a new programmer, and the guy who in retrospect was probably the best was just so nervous he was shaking and his voice wasn't steady. I think unconsciously we couldn't get past that and didn't really consider him - even though he was the son of a friend of our boss and so there was even a political reason. The guy we hired had great credentials but it turned out he always needed a lot of help. Very strange. We should have just given them tests and left them alone in a room by themselves instead of forcing ourselves on the process. Something else you can try maybe is running and getting more physically and mentally healthy. I think running is good for focus.

[s ravi chandran]

Thanks for the replies. It does help to know others views. My situation is a bit specific. Overall shyness or nervousness in an interview was my problem few years back. But now I have had a bit of exposure to client side and other departments of our company, so I do not hesitate in answering. I still am an introvert, but I can manage myself now better than before.

My real problem comes from getting a logical question and the mind forcing itself to get answer, this has started happening recently only. I never had to force a logic for a problem. That is what makes me worried. Other questions, specially technical ones, I can answer them anytime. No hesitation in that.

Thanks

[Jayesh A Lalwani]

When people put logic puzzles in front of you, they are trying to see how your mind works. There's nothing wrong with thinking out aloud as you are solving the puzzle.

Again, think of what you would do if a co-worker asked you the puzzle in the break room. You will probably start discussing various options with him/her, right? Just do that!

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

s ravi chandran wrote:My real problem comes from getting a logical question and the mind forcing itself to get answer, this has started happening recently only. I never had to force a logic for a problem. That is what makes me worried.

Get a book on logic puzzles. They often follow patterns and having seen a similar problem makes it a lot easier.