There’s nothing out of the ordinary about having some jitters before an interview. After all, this brief meeting with a stranger could potentially reshape your whole life for the better! However, occasionally a job seeker will dip into a state of anxiousness that could have negative effects on their interview performance and their overall mental health. Come interview time, it’s extremely important that you find yourself in a calm, collected, and confident headspace. If you feel yourself slowly slipping from a healthy nervousness into a full-blown panic, here are some tips that could help clear your mind!
Prepare Prepare Prepare
We cannot stress this enough! Often a person will find themselves in a state of anxiety due to an interview when they have not fully committed themselves to preparing. Sharpen your resume, get your outfit ready, study interview techniques, and learn about the company that you’re interviewing with. You will feel better about yourself when you’ve truly taken the time to make yourself as prepared as possible for the interview.
Focus on the Positive
No candidate is perfect. When you are interviewing for a new position, you’re likely competing against a whole pile of other resumes—but remember, there’s a reason why they’ve brought you in. Accept yourself as you are, and focus on what makes you a great candidate and a great person. Everyone has a different story and everyone has a different background, but there’s something about you that this company sees as a good fit for the position, and your interview should revolve around that!
Mind Your Transportation
Maybe you’re driving yourself, maybe you’re taking the train, or maybe you need to call an Uber. Regardless of the method, you need to have this ironed out well ahead of time. Know the route and leave early. Anticipate issues and leave yourself with enough time to overcome them. Physically getting to your interview needs to be the least of your concerns!
Relax
Sometimes, there’s nothing relaxing about… relaxing. Your mind can be running a thousand miles per hour and calming down doesn’t seem like an option. But you have to try! Leading up to your interview, once all of your formal preparation is complete, try turning on your favorite music and just taking some deep breaths. Imagine yourself in the interview room, talking to the hiring manager. Remember that the first minute upon meeting them is the hardest part—after that, you’re just having a conversation about yourself with another person. That’s not so bad!
Another interesting thing to try, time permitting, is to get into your interview outfit well ahead of time. It sometimes helps put you at ease and gives your mind a little more time to get conformable with your appearance.
Remember: You can do this! The hiring manager understands the pressure that an interviewing candidate is under—no one is expecting you to be perfect. Stay calm, be mindful of the questions, and have confidence.