Hypnosis admin on 13 Aug 2010 06:35 pm
How To Quell Interview Nerves and Increase Your Chance of Landing That Job
You’ve got interview nerves because “It’s happened!” You’ve sent off your resume and the firm has invited you for a job interview.
You’re happy. But your stomach is churning. You’ve got a bad case of interview nerves…
More about interview nerves
This happens to all of us. Actors call it stage fright but most seem to have an uncanny knack of overcoming it.
But for a job interview, nerves can affect your performance and since you only have a handful of minutes to impress your potential new bosses, it’s important to be as on the ball as possible.
Remember to breathe
Sounds simple. But you’d be surprised how many people mess this up when they’re faced with an important interview. Take slow, deliberate breaths. Not heavy breathing – that would be weird and would make you seem like a madman – but long enough for you to be able to get oxygen into your lungs.
Stay calm
Your nerves will almost certainly try to supress this action. You may well need to practice to achieve this. Use a friend, a family member or even a recording to help you to practice to stay as calm as you possibly can during the interview process.
Be yourself
Unless your interview is for a movie or stage show, in which case it’s possible you’ll be asked to act, you should be as close as possible to yourself. Act naturally. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. Don’t try to bluff your way through the interview – chances are that you’ll give yourself away and then you won’t get offered the job anyway. If the firm you’re applying to find that they get a completely different personality the first day you turn up for real work, they won’t take kindly to this and your career there is likely to be cut short anyway.
Don’t take pills
There are over the counter medicines that you can take to calm your nerves but they’re not recommended. Most all medicines have side effects and they almost certainly won’t be the kind of effect that you want.
Don’t take alcohol either
The dutch courage that a swift drink gives you will soon wear off. You need a clear head for an interview and knocking back a quick drink to calm your nerves won’t help when the questions start hurtling towards you.
Practice
If all else fails and your nerves really do get the better of you, don’t panic or beat yourself up. Nowadays, there are so many nearly perfect candidates that even if your interview goes perfectly, it doesn’t mean you’ll land the job. So although practice sounds a bit defeatist, it’s also realistic. You’ll get better as you go to more interviews and following these simple rules as best you can will help you to improve your chances of getting the job.