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Job Hunting/Interview advice

Hey, I've been job hunting for awhile now. I quit my job this year in January. Personally I never went on a interview when I had my Jobs, one was a referral and automatic job offer....the other was just a automatic offer for a seasonal position. I have deep rooted social anxiety to the point meeting new people and going on interviews both via zoom and physical public. Get me extremely anxious and nervous, I feel like I'm going to crap myself and NO GROUNDING TECHNIQUES HELP IT COMES BACK IN SECONDS. When I'm talking to the interviewer I get so nervous I say "uh" and "umm" almost every answer, I forget important messages I want to convey, or I stutter and slurr my speech to where I talk in circles or mention the same thing but in different ways.

I have 9 months of retail experience, as well as cooking and food preparation. Stores in my area continuously say they're not hiring. And when they are, apparently I don't fit their criteria for working there. I either get told no they're not hiring, No I'm not the perfect fit for the job, or flat out ghosted (yes I call, they won't pick up or the manager is not available) 

What are some tips and tricks to get hired in this market today, I know it's rough but it shouldn't be this dang hard to find one. Considering the fact there are still people getting hired on the spot and I can't even make that.




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Reply by cawaminga

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Totally get where you're coming from  the job market can feel like a maze, especially when anxiety kicks in hard during interviews. One thing that unexpectedly helped me was rethinking how I approach focus and mental clarity in general. I stumbled across this deep work summary a while back, and it flipped a switch for me. It’s not about productivity hacks  more like reshaping how you use your energy and attention. Sounds random, but building that kind of focus helped me calm my nerves, prep better for interviews, and actually feel more confident speaking. Just thought I’d share in case it helps someone else here.



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Reply by Иван

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Sorry, I know this thread is old. I don't have much professional experience in the service industry (retail, food prep, etc), but I will offer some general advice that has helped me. 

1. Don't ramble and say "um". Instead stop and think about the question. Try to answer it in parts if it is long. "I feel that requires a two part response, first ... and second ...". Once you are done speaking, you are done speaking. Don't let the interviewer's pause pressure you in to rambling. Give your answer then stop talking! 

2. Also - the most important part of the interview process is determining whether or not you can do the job. Your experience shows that you can do the job, so what the interviewer is likely trying to find out is whether or not they want to sit / stand next to you for 40 hours a week. Convince them that they do.

3. For anxiety, as you know, there is no real solution. I just remind myself to slow down - I go fast when I am nervous. 


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Reply by ZxKwill15UnicornsxZ

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Thank you guys!! I appreciate it


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