How to Overcome Anxiety during Interviews
Last Edited on: 23 March 2023
You ever just sit with a group of friends talking about something interesting and tend to all of a sudden just zone out? Or maybe you don't feel like eating anything or hanging out with anybody and just sit there by yourself, all nervous?
Anxiety can be caused by various factors, one of which is interviews.
Preparing for an interview can be stressful at times, especially if it's for a job you've been looking for since a long time. With so much on the line, it's understandable that you would be anxious about every aspect of the process - from not dressing appropriately, to giving "perfect" answers to questions, to fearing that you won't get the job offer.
Stress or anxiety before a crucial interview is simply a sign that you want to perform well. Your appearance, mannerisms, what you say, and how you say it is all about to be examined. If he likes you, a job offer, a sweet salary, and the corner office might be on the table. If not, you might soon find yourself living in a van by the river (sounds exaggerated, right? But that’s exactly what you’re bound to be thinking before an interview.)
Well, your anxiety can actually help you prepare better, give you energy, and keep you alert throughout the process. However, anxiety can also keep you from giving your best effort by diverting your attention or affecting your memory.
Okay, let’s take this scenario.
You're in an office building's waiting room, waiting for your name to be called.
As you frantically try to recall the answers you practiced, you mentally go through possible questions. When they asked for details about the time you spent between jobs, what were you supposed to say? What did your recruiter mean by the buzzword "synergy"? Synergy: What even is synergy?
When it's time for the handshake, you wipe your sweaty palms on your pants in the hopes that the interviewer won't notice how wet they are (oh, you’ve practiced the handshake like a thousand times). All eyes are on you as they lead you into the interview room. Your stomach is in knots as you search the room for a comforting face, but find yourself overcome with performance anxiety.
Suddenly, the thought of crawling back into bed and binge-watching Netflix seems like a much better way to go than taking the job interview. Who really requires a paycheck anyway, right?
Interview anxiety can get the best of us. In fact, it can be so severely impacting that some of us are unable to show up for the interview at all.
So what do you do?
Well, we’ve got you some tips and tricks on how to remain calm (and not let your head burst out) before, during, and after an interview.
1. RESEARCH
Do proper research on the company. Know their competitors' names, what they offer, and what they sell. Research the people who will be interviewing you as well. View their LinkedIn profile to find out more about their positions at the business.
The power of knowledge. Being well-prepared in every way is the best way to maintain your calmness.
Write down the questions you have for the interviewer, practice your answers aloud with a friend or family member who will give you honest feedback, and list the three to five things you want the interviewer to know about you before the interview is over so you can personalize your answers appropriately.
2. PLAN
Don't put off printing out copies of your resume until the last minute. What if the ink on your printer runs out? The day before, lay out your clothes and iron them. A big stain on your dress shirt is not something you want to discover an hour before the interview when you take it out of the closet. Plan your route on a map and look at the traffic updates. Give yourself plenty of time to get there, and arrive 15 minutes early for the interview. Being late will stress you out more quickly than anything else. Oh, also, get a good night’s sleep.
3. PRACTICE ADEQUATELY
Don't jot down exact responses to probable interview questions; instead, make an outline of your points and consider the message you want to get across.
Like anything else, our skills improve as we practice more. Practice interviews will help you become more assured and control your nerves if your voice shakes when you're anxious. If you can't do a mock interview, practice in front of a mirror, paying close attention to your posture, facial expressions, and eye contact.
4. BE CONFIDENT AND THINK POSITIVELY
There was a reason you were asked to come in for the interview. Your resume was liked by someone there, and they thought you might be a good fit. Remind yourself frequently of your qualifications, successes, and reasons why you are the ideal candidate for the position. Any nervousness you may have will be overlooked by the hiring manager if you enter the interview with confidence.
5. THINK ALLY, NOT ENEMY
6. UNDERSTAND THAT MISTAKES WILL BE MADE
Even though the person interviewing you isn't a friend yet, picturing them as the enemy or hostile will cause your adrenalin rush to skyrocket so quickly that it will knock your good judgment out of the window.
Learn as much as you can about the person interviewing you, and picture them as a normal person instead of a rejection machine. Remembering that they need you will help you to loosen up more and be more genuine.
Employers are looking for flexibility and adaptability rather than excellence. You'll perform better if you clear the perfection factor, and your potential employer will see that you can maintain calm under pressure. If you can do it in the interview, you can do it on the job.
7. KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE ARE OTHER JOBS OUT THERE
Don't put too much pressure on yourself because you have gambled everything on this one interview (as they say, you’ve put all your eggs in one basket.)
It would be understandable for you to experience so much anxiety if this were the only job available in the whole wide world and this was your only job interview.
However, keep in mind that if you don't get this job, there are other opportunities available. And if you end up not getting the job, maybe it’s for the best. You never know, there might be something even better in store for you.
Well, that’s all for now. For more such informative content, keep up with us :)