10 Tips to Calm Interview Nerves.

It’s the night before your interview. Your foot’s finally in the door. You’ve worked long and hard to get to this position; but it’s all starting to dawn on you, and you can feel the panic setting in. Stop. Take a few deep breaths, and read of our top 10 tips to restore your positive chi and bring your chakras back into balance – or in other words – calm you down.

1. You will have undoubtedly researched the company, culture and position in great detail well in advance of your interview (for research and other interview prep tips click here) – the effort you put into your research could well be the reason you’ve secured the interview! So don’t try and over load yourself with too much last minute prep. Perhaps have a quick scan of any notes you’ve made and reread your CV (so its fresh in your mind, as you will certainly be asked about the information on there).
2. However, don’t read over any notes while you’re waiting in reception. This will definitely cause your nerves to go into overdrive – and a trembling candidate, reading over their notes doesn’t look very professional – only underprepared and anxious. This especially applies if the role is high-stress.
3. Exercise the night before. It will help reduce your stress levels, as it boosts endorphins and acts as a distraction; it will also help you get a good nights sleep – which is essential for a clear head.
4. Have a good, hearty breakfast – porridge is always a good option, as it is filling and doesn’t leave any nasty smells. Avoid drinking too much coffee, or bring some mints/chewing gum with you and use them on your journey (if its chewing gum you choose, be sure to dispose of it before you enter the building of your interview)
5. Arrive with plenty of time. It’s best to arrive 10-15 minutes earlier than your interview; this also gives you a little wiggle room should there be any unexpected delays – traffic, unless there’s an accident or other unavoidable delay, is not a good excuse for lateness.  Should you arrive late, or feel extremely hot and flustered, ask to be excused to the toilet and run your wrists under cold water – this is one of the points where your arteries are close to the surface, so the cold water cools your blood; this nifty trick also helps avoid a sweaty handshake!
6. If you feel like you can’t control your anxiety on your own, it could help to try a herbal remedy – Bach Flower Remedies has been operating for over eighty years and have an array of products to cater to many needs (take a look at their website here)
7. Act confident. You may be as unfortunate as Leonardo, and keep missing out on your shiny Oscar, but even if you’re not an undiscovered talent, if you think confidently you’ll be surprised how often it translates into visible confidence. Adjust your body language, maintain eye contact (not creepily – blink every so often), shake hands with your interviewer and mean business!
8. Deep breaths. Take some deep breaths while you wait in reception. Its been said the 7/11 method is useful – this is where you breath in slowly and steadily for seven counts and  then breath out  in the same way for eleven counts. This should counteract any feeling of hyperventilation, and restore some calm.
9. Think of the interviewer as a person not a problem. Your interview is essentially just a conversation between two people. They liked something about you, or else you wouldn’t have been offered an interview. Think positively. And bare in mind, whoever is interviewing you may also be nervous.
10. The last tip is to follow up your interview with a call. Receiving feedback is the best way to ensure any mistakes you may have made can be rectified in the future.

So all that’s left now is to wish you good luck!

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net