Overcoming the Elephant in the Room

When you’re on the shorter side of things, going into a formal interview can seem scary or daunting. The only way to interview for a professional job, when you don’t look old enough to have your working papers, is to first deal with the elephant in the room. In this case, a rather small elephant. Here are 5 tips to overcoming the elephant in the room

1. Don't swing your legs
As my roommates have pointed out, “You must burn a lot of calories swinging your legs all the     time.” When you sit down in a chair for an interview, the tendency is going to be to swing your legs like a little kid at a doctor’s office. The problem with the leg swing is it A.) is a distraction to the person interviewing you and B.) makes you look like someone poured you into that seat.

My Tip: Sit at the edge of the seat or as close as you need to until your feet touch, then cross your legs or ankles.

2. If you look like a kid, don't talk like a kid

It’s important for anyone interviewing for a job to sound polished and mature, but it’s even more important when you have the cards stacked against you. The interviewer may start to doubt you when you can’t see over the receptionist desk, which means that you have to prove that you can be taken seriously.

My Tip: Give a firm handshake, look them in the eyes, listen well, and speak clearly and succinctly.

3. Heels: Do or Don't

The first question you have to ask yourself is if you know how to walk in heels. If the answer is yes, then feel free to wear appropriate heels to your interview. If not, it looks a lot worse to wobble down the hallway than to rock your flats. The sad truth is even with heels, you’re not fooling anyone. Without heels, short. With heels, still short.

My Tip: Do what you’re most comfortable with.

4. Wear Makeup

Now I love going sans makeup just as much as the next girl but there’s a time and a place for everything. For an interview you want to make sure that you look like a grown put together adult.

My Tip: A little goes a long way.

5. Confidence, Confidence, Confidence 
When you exude confidence in an interview, it allows them to trust what you’re saying and what you could do for them in the future. If you’re obviously unsure of yourself or feeling shy, then that will translate to the interviewer that you're just “too young” for the job.

My Tip: Fake it till you make it.