Controlling jitters before your interview
The prospect of sitting alone in a room with a stranger and talking about
yourself can be terrifying. You certainly don't want the stress to overwhelm
you. If an interviewer's strongest impression of you at the end of the interview
is the sweat on your brow, quiver in your voice, and the twitches in your limbs,
you're in trouble. Here's how to put things in perspective.
Remember:
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Someone at the organization likes you and thinks you have a chance to
contribute. You've haven't been called in to be tortured -- you have a real
shot at getting hired.
-
If this interview doesn't work out, you will have another one. There are a
lot of jobs out there.
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Every interviewing experience you have will prepare you to do better in
the next one.
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The person sitting across from you was once sitting on the hot seat just
like you, and they survived and got the job even though their voice trembled a
bit and their knees knocked a little. Everyone's been through the situation
and knows what it's like.
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Just like everyone else, this person interviewing you has friends and
casual acquaintances with whom they hang out. They aren't always so formal.
Try to connect with your interviewer on a human level, without being too goofy
and informal.
Dealing with anxiety
It would be a shame to let something as insignificant and short-lived as an
attack of nerves conceal your winning attributes. Here are some tips to prevent
nervous tics and other imperfections from interfering with your best interview
ever.
If you're concerned with a piece of clothing in your interview ensemble --
maybe the naked-lady tie is a little racy and you're on the fence about it --
change it. In addition to favorably impressing your interviewer, your clothes
should do nothing but support and feed the confidence and comfort of the
intelligent, sensitive creature wearing them.
During the interview you'll want to look neat, clean, and well-composed. You
should always wear a suit. Even if the workplace where you're applying is
business casual (or has no dress code whatsoever.) Even if the interviewer tells
you that you don't need to wear a suit. It's always better to overdress than
underdress. Stick to conservative navy, gray or black. Women, wear pantyhose and
closed-toes shoes.
If a deficiency on your resume worries you, don't obsess on it and let it
sink your spirits. Think about this deficiency and how you will explain it
before you go in for the interview. It's there, so deal with it and move on.
Remember, they've agreed to interview despite this flaw, so it can't be a
stopper. If there is any way of putting a positive spin on it without making it
a feature of the interview, plan a short but sweet response.
On the day of the interview, breathing exercises can help you relax and
focus your energy. Closing your eyes, imagine a peaceful place. Or, visualize
yourself acing the interview. Here's another one: place your tongue at the roof
of your mouth just behind the teeth and then breath quickly and forcefully
through your nose for as long as you can. If you push yourself at this, when you
then inhale deeply through your mouth again, you should feel energized.
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