Six Interview Tricks To Land Your Dream Job

With the 70 degree temps over the last couple weeks and more on the way, it has me thinking about spring. Spring time also brings the start to the summer job search. College seniors are looking for their first full-time job, and high school kids are looking for summer jobs.

We've got six job interview tricks for you that are all backed by science.  And most of them seem like they'd probably work on a first date too . . .

1.  Visualize a good interview.  Studies have shown that athletes do better when they visualize themselves doing well.  And it works with interviews too.

2.  Stop saying you're "nervous" beforehand, and start saying you're "excited."  Anxiety and excitement are similar emotions.  If you tell yourself out loud that you're "excited" instead of "nervous," it actually calms you down.

3.  Have a ritual before each interview.  It can be something small, like listening to the same song before you go in.  Studies have shown that rituals can reduce your heart rate, help you concentrate, and make you feel more in control.

4.  Start with small talk.  Like the weather, or how crazy traffic was on your way over.  Studies have found you're more likely to get a job if you start out with some meaningless chitchat, because it builds trust.

5.  Get ready to brag.  Studies have found women tend to be more reluctant to do it than men.  One trick is to pretend you're bragging about a friend instead of yourself.

6.  Don't over-rehearse for it.  You'll sound scripted if you do.  Plus, making a mistake isn't always a bad thing.  There's something called the "pratfall effect," where you actually seem MORE likeable if you make a mistake or trip over a word.

Isn't a first date like a job interview anyway. Science is a weird and mysterious thing. Just ask the guys on the Big Bang Theory. Good luck in your future endeavors...whatever they may be.