Pre-interview nerves happen to the best of us. Follow these 10 fun tips to help you feel at ease when the time comes!
Prepare an pre-interview playlist
Pre-interview prepare a mood-boosting playlist of tunes that will fill your head with energy and excitement, rather than negative thoughts. Find out how to make the perfect pre-interview playlist here.
Skip the morning coffee
While you may need your caffeine fix on most occasions, avoid coffee before your next interview. Caffeine is anxiety inducing. Your adrenaline is already pumping fast enough and the added kick will do more harm than good.
Talk to yourself
Pre-interview give yourself a pep talk, which is scientifically proven to help motivate yourself. Say aloud to yourself with confidence all the things you need to hear! You have got this, you are smart, you are confident, you are qualified… Also writing down these positive affirmations can also help.
Squeeze your bum cheeks to stop the shakes!
When your body is subjected to stress, it goes into fight-or-flight mode. Stress hormones flood your body and speed up your heart rate, blood pressure, and your breathing. Your body prepares to deal with the stressors, and your muscles become primed to act, leading to a trembling sensation, twitching, or shaking. To steady these shakes, (it sounds mad we know) simply squeeze your bum cheeks or your thigh muscles, which will ease the shakes elsewhere.
Prepare for the worst
Worried about not being able to walk in your heels – pack a pair of flats. Worried about make-up mishaps – bring your make-up bag and a mirror. Worried about not having a good response to a confusing question? Be proactive and learn how to think outside the box when you don’t know an answer. By thinking ahead, you will have less to worry about.
Practice the S.T.O.P Method
- Stop what you’re doing and focus on your thoughts.
- Take a few deep breaths.
- Observe what’s going on in your body, emotions, and mind, and why you’re feeling them.
- Proceed with an intention to incorporate what you observed in your actions.
Take it easy pre-interview
Like an exam, there is not point in cramming beforehand. Instead what is more useful, is to spend the morning relaxing to calm your nerves. Try mindful exercises, such as yoga or meditation. Eat a hearty breakfast, have a bath, and take your time when getting ready.
Understand your interviewer better
Perhaps like you, your interviewer may also be nervous. Conducting an interview with a relative stranger for the first time can be daunting. By being sympathetic to your hiring manager, you will enter the interview room feeling like you are on the same playing field. On top of sympathizing with your interview, research more about them beforehand. Perhaps you have things in common, so will have something to chat about other than the job at hand, which can ease your nerves. By learning more about your interviewer, you will realize they are human just like you.
Stand up while you wait
You will probably be offered a seat while you wait, before your interview. Don’t take it if you are feeling extra nervous. You don’t want your interviewers first impression of you to be struggling up out of a chair, so stay standing. You also look more confident if you are on their level as you first meet them.
Smile!
During the interview, make sure you keep things positive and enthusiastic. This means not just giving upbeat answers but enthusiastically promoting the impression that you’re a jovial, compassionate person anyone would be lucky to work with. This can simply be done with a smiley face. It’s no secret smiling makes you feel more confident, even if it is forced – so SMILE!
Good Luck!
