Overcoming job interview nerves
Overcoming job interview nerves
Job interviews can be stressful. It's common to worry and have negative thoughts running through your head before the interview begins. Simon Brooks suggests four ways you can stop your nerves taking control.
Despite how common interview jitters can be, nerves can be more detrimental to the interview than anything else. We tend to over-think things, begin to sweat and find it difficult to focus.
To prevent this from happening, you should approach a job interview in a calm, collected manner. Here are four tips to help:
1. Prepare ahead
One of the worst things you can do during a job interview is to walk in and act like you’re not prepared. Being late is also a mistake.
To prepare yourself ahead of time, jot down a list of potential questions you might be asked and consider how you would answer them. You can’t have this paper with you during the interview, but if the questions pop up, the answers will be fresh in your head.
2. Know yourself and be yourself
Every person is different and handles job interviews differently. Keep in mind your personal strengths and weaknesses and prepare accordingly.
If, for example, you’re a little on the shy side, it might be a good idea to spend extra time preparing before the interview. Practise speaking in front of a mirror. Rehearse answers to common questions. Find what topics interest you the most and make sure you nail those topics when they are brought up.
3. Stay confident
The worst thing you can do during an interview is to get hung up on how badly you think you’re doing. Even if you botch a question, don’t let it get to you. Move on, act like nothing happened and make up for it by answering the next question better.
Have positive body language. Sit up straight, hold your head high and don’t tuck yourself inward in an attempt to hide yourself. Take up space and hold yourself proudly. Remember to make eye contact with your interviewer, but don’t stare. If you do your best to appear confident, you will be confident.
4. Remain calm
Calmness goes hand-in-hand with confidence. If you approach every question calmly and thoughtfully, you will impress the interviewer with how well you are handling yourself. Every interviewer knows how difficult job interviews can be. Remember to take deep and even breaths during the interview if you ever feel yourself tensing up.
When you come to a job interview prepared, act on your strengths, display confidence and remain calm throughout the interview, you are showing the interviewer that you are a professional. Remember this in the heat of an interview and let your true, confident self shine.
Simon Brooks has over 20 years’ experience in the recruitment industry and is currently working for legal recruitment specialists BCL Legal.
