How to Calm Your Job Interview Anxiousness

Despite knowing that we have to look calm and professional during the job interview, it isn’t always easy to pull of, especially if you are feeling nervous or anxious about how it will go.

What’s more, the more important the job is for you, the harder it is to remain calm and collected. You know that you have to do your best to stop stressing out, otherwise you might fail the whole interview – however, this knowledge is likely to make you stress out even more.

So what to do in this case? Of course, the solution is to try to calm your anxiousness as much as you can. This might seem impossible at first, but with a little preparation, it won’t be as tough as you think. Just like a resume writing service can help you make the most out of your resume, these useful tips could help you learn how to calm down quicker and easier.

Here are some tips to help you calm your interview anxiousness so you can make the best impression possible:

1. Remember that preparation is the key

Are you afraid that there will be tricky questions you won’t know the answer to? A good way to avoid this is to search Google for the most common job interview questions and figure out how you should answer them in advance.

Do you stress out because you might have to say something about the company? In this case, learn as much as you can about the company’s history and values.

Are you concerned that your nerves will prevent you from getting the answers out clearly and concisely? Then write down your answers to possible questions, as well as your own questions and spend some time rehearsing them – in front of the mirror, with a friend or a career coach.

The more prepared you are, the higher the possibility of you answering everything smoothly, even when the nerves strike. Moreover, preparation these days is much easier than before — even if this is your first job interview, you’ll have no trouble Googling everything you might need to know.

2. Think positive

This might seem impossible if you are second-guessing yourself and your eligibility for the position. However, thinking of the positives can work to calm your anxiousness a lot.

Remember, you were invited to the interview, which means that you have already impressed to the hiring manager or recruiter enough to get you past the first stages, whereas hundreds of others didn’t make it past the screening process. Focus on your skills and your experience.

To really get into the positive mindset before your interview, you may opt to spend time with animals, watch a funny video or read something that will help you brighten up a bit.

3. Talk positively

Your attitude and behaviour will matter a lot, so you have to be aware of this in order to present yourself the best way. Don’t try to look overconfident, especially if you’re nervous: most likely, it will look as if you’re faking it and the interviewer will see right through the act. What’s more, you don’t want to look like you’re too desperate to get this job (even if it’s true).

Most of the interviewers consider desperation awkward and consider overconfidence a flaw. However, they do like people who seem enthusiastic about the company and the position. Even if you still feel nervous, don’t focus on that feeling – instead, let those nerves translate into excitement for the job and the company.

Remember, the interviewers understand that candidates are humans and that we all get a little bit nervous when put on the spot. It doesn’t bother them as long as you still look professional and able to deliver your answers well.

 4. Breathe

Even if you are prepared and do your best to stay positive, an unexpected stress still might strike right before an interview, making it hard for you to concentrate and to remember what do you have to say.

In this case, breathing is the quickest solution.This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s natural to hold your breath or take short breaths when nervous, which will only increase your heart rate and in turn, make you feel more anxious. Try slowing down your breathing, even counting your breaths if it helps. It might seem surprising, but we actually are able to calm down ourselves by paying attention to our breath.

5. Be self-compassionate

If you are stressing out a lot before an interview and putting yourself down for not holding it together, this won’t help you. Most likely, you’ll even stress yourself out more. Instead, treat yourself like you would treat your dearest friend. Be kind, calm and compassionate and think of what you would tell your friend to make it easier for them. Remind yourself that all this will be over soon and you’ll be rewarded for your struggles.

If none of these methods seem to help, you only one option left – to be open about your anxiousness. As I’ve already mentioned above, the interviewers know that the candidates can be nervous during the interview. They won’t think of you poorly just because of that.

So if you feel like there’s no way for you to overcome the stress, simply be honest about it. Tell the interviewer that you are a bit nervous (maybe because this is your first interview in a while or your first interview at all). Apologize for that. Doing so will help the interviewer understand your situation and even feel some sympathy for you. Moreover, sometimes this actually could help them relate to you – especially, if the interviewer is nervous too or simply remembers how stressful their first interview was.

I hope that this will help you calm down your nervousness even a bit and ace your interview!

Thinking of hiring a career coach to help you brush up on your interview skills and get the job of your dreams? Browse our directory of career coaches and get a FREE consultation or request a personalized coach recommendation!