12 Tips For Beating Pre-Job Interview Nerves

So you've passed the screening process and managed to land yourself an interview. To make sure you don't walk into your interview like a bag of nerves, check out our tips on preparation and calming techniques.

 

Preparation

Do your research – Learning about the company you are applying for is one of the best places to start when preparing for an interview. By researching the company and what they stand for, by the time the interview comes you should (hopefully) be able to confidently talk about what they do, their ethos, and their development.

 

Do your homework – There’s no way you can prepare for every question that the interviewer may ask you, but if you do some research and have a few pre-planned answers to common interview questions, this can help you to avoid getting tongue-tied during the interview.

 

Stage a dress rehearsal –A great way of preparing for your interview is to have a ‘mock’ interview. From picking your outfit to having a friend ask you challenging questions, this is a great way of distinguishing your strengths and weaknesses, giving you time to work on the areas that need improving.

Researching the company before your interview is a great way of making you feel prepared and showing your enthusiasm for the job.
Researching the company before your interview is a great way of making you feel prepared and showing your enthusiasm for the job.

 

Know your route – One of the best things you can do before an interview is to do a trial run of your physical route to the interview location. There’s nothing worse than getting lost on the way to your interview and arriving late and flustered. If you live a long way away from your destination, make sure that you allocate an extra hour into your travel plan so that if there is traffic or the trains are delayed, you won't be late.

On the other hand, although it's important to arrive early, it's viewed as pushy and impolite if you arrive long before the interviewer was expecting you. If you find you have a lot of time to spare, explore the neighbourhood a little bit (if you end up getting the job, you'll likely be spending a lot of time there!) and maybe get a tea or coffee to relax for a bit. Aim to walk in about 10 minutes early, enough to show that you are reliable and eager but not self-centred enough to think that the interviewer should drop what they were doing to talk to you!

 

Calm your nerves

Eat a good breakfast – Although your nerves can often make you feel nauseous or sick, one of the worst mistakes you can make before going to an interview is going on an empty stomach. Food gives you energy to help your brain to function properly, so just think of your breakfast as necessary brain food to aid you in the interview.

 

Listen to music – For people suffering with nerves, listening to a favourite or familiar song is an easy way of lowering your heart rate and relaxing you.

 

Run cold water over your wrists – If your anxiety starts to make you feel hot and agitated, simply run cold water over your wrists. Dabbing this area with cold water will help to reduce your body temperature.

Be confident and believe in yourself. If you don't believe in yourself, the interviewer won't either.
Be confident and believe in yourself. If you don't believe in yourself, the interviewer won't either.

 

Take deep breaths – When nervous or under pressure, so many people forget to simply breathe. Exhale any negative thoughts, and concentrate on taking calm and deep breaths.

 

Close your eyes and take yourself to your 'happy place' – Whether it’s thinking about a loved one or reminiscing on a good memory from a holiday, concentrating on something that makes you happy will not only keep you centred and calm, but will also help you to LOOK happy and positive – something that is very important to the interviewer.

 

Visualize the interview – Before the interview takes place, visualise yourself throughout the interview, and imagine how you would like it to go. From shaking hands with your interviewer to asking a good question, it’s a great way of boosting your confidence.

 

Tell yourself that (win or lose) this will all be over in thirty minutes – IF the interview doesn’t go as well as you hoped, it will be over before you know it and you’ll never have to see or speak to your interviewer again.

 

REMEMBER – no matter what happens, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get the job. This isn’t the only job that will be available to your throughout your life, and no matter how important it feels at the time, your future career does not rely on this one position.

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