Job interviews can be very stressful and most people get nervous to some extent before and during interview. You want to do your best to ease your nerves because if you look like you are nervous, it’s not going to look good to the interviewer. The interviewer is looking to hire someone who is confident in their skills and abilities and shaking hands a wavering voice doesn’t really communicate confidence.
If you become anxious, here are some things you can do to eliminate your anxiety:
- Ask yourself, “why am I so nervous?” Give yourself a boost of self-confidence and remind yourself of the valuable skills you have to offer.
- Concentrate on the information being given to you and not solely on how you appear to your interviewer.
- Learn as much as possible about your perspective employer before the interview and find useful information regarding the company. Being an expert on the company will help calm your jitters.
- Find a way to relax yourself like going for a walk or watching TV before the interview. It will boost your confidence and ease you into a comfortable state.
- Try on your attire at least the night before your interview and make sure you check it for cleanliness to avoid unexpected surprises in the morning.
- Get plenty of rest and avoid consuming caffeinated beverages the night before your interview.
- Make sure to eat an adequate meal or snack before your interview so you will be able to think clearly and respond more appropriately. Some interviews last many hours!
- Give yourself plenty of time to reach the location and arrive at your destination at least 15-30 minutes early so you have time to collect your thoughts.
- Practice writing down or saying your answers to practice interview questions on a notepad. It is highly likely that you will be getting the questions or some slight variation from those questions that you practice. The more you practice, the more confident you will become!
- Smile. It relaxes you and helps you make a great first impression.
Most importantly, try your best to think of the interview as a conversation. The interviewer is really just trying to get to know you and really just wants to see if you would be a good person to work with. So if you have all the skills, just try your best to be personal and someone they would WANT to work with.
Note: This post is written in association with Lammore Consulting, a company that offers sales training.
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