Tips to Stay Calm in an Interview

Interview AnxietyEveryone feels anxious at one point in their life. For most people, anxiousness starts to creep in before or during an interview. The uncertainty of what will happen scares people. Questions start to pop up in your mind: Am I qualified? Did I prepare enough? Will I give the right answers?

Every professional who has interviewed for a position, be it an entry-level or executive position, would admit that there is a certain level of anxiety. There is always the problem of how to stay calm for your interview.

 

If you don’t know how, here are a few ideas to help you before a big interview.

There will be other chances – Looking for a new job brings stress. The uncertainty of when you’ll find employment in a tough economy makes the stress even greater. Thinking that every interview you have will be your last chance to have a job will only add to the stress you already have. Don’t ever think that the interview you have will be your last chance; there will always be other new opportunities that will come your way.

We’re all just people – It’s good to have respect for your interviewer, but don’t place him or her in such high regard that it will affect how you carry yourself. Always remember that there was a time when the person interviewing you was in the same position you’re in right now.

Be sociable – Not everyone is a social butterfly, but you will need to have (or develop) the social skills to show that you’ll fit into the company culture. Every company has a unique set of requirements; you just need to show that you can work in a team environment.

Stress-relieving activities – Whether it’s through meditation, working out, or something else, we all have different coping mechanisms for stress. Whatever it is that helps you get stress out of your system, do it.

It’s never easy to come in for an interview brimming with confidence. Still, if you did the necessary preparations and believe that you can do it, the interviewer will see and feel that you are the right person for the job.

Read 4640 times Last modified on Monday, 01 April 2013 10:57
Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.