It’s normal to feel nervous about a job interview. Someone is about to inspect your appearance, body language, what you say and the way you say it.
Also, the stakes in an interview are fairly high. If your interviewer likes you, it could mean an offer and a good salary to boot. If they don’t like you, you might soon be trawling the internet job boards late into the night.
For some, not having control during an interview can also cause stress. You don’t know what an interviewer will say or how they will act. For many, that lack of control can result in a lot of stress and anxiety.
Unfortunately, anxiety can ruin your performance. A bad case of nerves can result in substantial interview errors, causing your interviewer to be so distracted, they don’t take note of your strengths and qualifications.
Thankfully, there are proven ways to overcome interview anxiety. Consider the following tips.
Preparation is key
If you are well-prepared, you’ll have confidence and a greater sense of control, to the point you might even look forward to the interview. Confidence can also help you channel any nerves into positive energy.
Preparation for an interview isn’t totally different from the way an athlete trains for a big game. The more you prepare, the more confident you’ll feel when a career goal is on the line. This confidence will help you get rid of any nervous tics and feel more in command of responses and mannerisms.
Focus on being positive
Negativity can keep you from remembering your major selling points and articulating them in an interview. Ideally, you ought to walk in with the frame of mind you can ace any interview.
Ahead of the interview, listen to your favorite music, guided meditations or motivational speeches; anything that will allow you to get in the proper mindset. It also helps to recall that a particular amount of anxiety in a stressful scenario is actually a good thing. A bit of nervousness may actually sharpen the mind, allowing you to perform better.
Avoid a make-or-break mentality
Passion is good, but neediness can be awkward. Like meeting someone on a first date, you want to impress, but you don’t want to seem like this is your only shot at happiness.
Regardless of how desperately you want the position, remind yourself that it’s just one opportunity. Your future is not reliant upon landing this particular job.
Use relaxation techniques
There are many relaxation techniques out there, and everyone has their favorite. Some people swear by “power posing” while others say “rhythmic breathing” is what works best for them. These techniques may seem silly, but the most popular ones are backed up by research.
At Action Group Staffing, we help our job seekers avoid interview anxiety by fully preparing them for interviews with our clients. If you’re currently looking for that kind of support, please contact us today.
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