(Excerpts of an e-HR portal)
You have finally landed an interview for your ideal
job. Now you find yourself in the candidate holding tank five minutes
before it begins. Your insides are churning, your heart is pounding and
your palms are sweaty. You tell yourself to breathe, but nothing seems
to help. Your name is called. You can barely concentrate. The interview
is over before it even began.
Anxiety is an interview killer, and a common problem. Jobseekers have
every right to be anxious about an impending interview. After all, the
competition is often tough and your livelihood could be at stake. But
the last thing a hiring manager wants is for you to be a bundle of
nerves.
Let’s look at these 7 tactics to handle pre-interview jitters
1. Have a game plan
A day or two before your interview, scope out the company building.
If you’re driving, find parking and learn exactly where you’ll need to
be the day of the interview. On the day of, give yourself a generous
amount of time to arrive at the interview location and get settled.
Note: This doesn’t mean showing up to the interview an hour early. Use
this time to take a walk to soothe your nerves or review your answers to
potential questions. Realising there are factors prior to the big
interview that are completely within your control can help you gain your
composure.
2. Engage in conversation
The day of your interview, surround yourself with friends or family
who make you feel good about yourself. By engaging with people in
positive conversation throughout the day you’ll be warmed up by the time
you reach your interview. A positive mood is infectious, and warming up
your voice beforehand will also help you articulate effectively when
it’s time to answer questions.
3. Boost your mood
Create a playlist of songs that give you confidence. If listening to
“Eye of The Tiger” on repeat makes you feel like you can accomplish
anything, then go for it. Or try listening to a comedy show on your way
to the interview. A good laugh can ease anxiety and fear along with
relieving stress.
4. Fuel up
The saying is true: Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your brain
and elevates concentration and productivity throughout the morning.
Include a "brain food" such as oatmeal or fruit in your morning meal and
you’ll have even more of a mental edge when you’re preparing for your
big moment.
5. Get moving
Exercising a few hours before the interview will release endorphins
that relieve stress. Plus, it will give you some time to visualise
yourself in complete control of every interview question while you
conquer the elliptical machine.
6. Visualise
Visualising achievement can have a positive impact on the outcome of
your performance. People stimulate the same portion of the brain when
they visualise an action as when they are actually performing an action.
So, through use of positive imagery, it’s possible to prime your brain
for a successful interview.
7. Demystify the process
It might be hard to believe, but the interviewer may be just as
nervous as you are. He or she may be understaffed and under pressure to
fill a position quickly. Remember, however, you were chosen for an
interview after proving yourself to be a viable candidate. Don’t view
the hiring manager as the enemy. Instead, see him or her as an equal.
Demystifying the process can aid in soothing your interview anxiety.
Interviewing for any position can be a burdensome task. But don’t
fret, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed before your interview, it
is possible to regain control over your nerves. Set aside ample time to
prepare beforehand to build confidence.
