It is important to get a handle on your discomfort as early as possible in order to keep it from making a negative impact on your interview. If you don’t know how to take control, your interview performance can be affected.
To help your interview go smoothly:
Prepare
Always do your homework before going to your interview. Research the company, their products, culture and other factors in-depth. If possible, get to know the people who will be interviewing you. Knowing more about them will give you a boost of confidence during the interview.
Practice
Know what key points you want to stress during the interview and practice sharing your experience to highlight those points. Come up with stories of your past experiences that demonstrate the abilities that are important to the company. Practice until you get comfortable.
Plan
Don’t allow yourself to arrive late or in a messy state of mind. Plan carefully by picking the right clothes, knowing the interview location beforehand, and printing out extra copies of your resume just in case.
Arrive on time
You can make sure you’re on time by scoping out the location beforehand. Take a practice drive days ahead to determine the best roads to take or what public transportation to use. Expect traffic delays; it’s better to leave a little earlier than you normally might for another event.
Reframe
Don’t think as if you’re being tested when you walk into the building. Reframe your thinking — the interview is a meeting to help you and your potential employer decide if you would be a great fit for the job. Changing the way you approach the interview can have a positive effect on your performance.
Humanize
Remember that the interviewer is a regular human being and not an interrogator. An interview is an event, but ultimately you’re just two people meeting and asking each other questions to find out information that may or may not be of benefit to you both.
Have a Positive Mindset
Keep your perspective intact, and don’t forget what your goal is. If you don’t get the job, don’t let yourself feel down about it. There are other job opportunities out there; remember to persevere.
These strategies can help you take control of your nerves before, during and after the interview. They may be small strategies, but they will make a huge difference.