The 5 Ways To Reduce Interview Anxiety

Nerves affect all of us. Even politicians, business professionals, and other world leaders have experienced some form of anxiety and stress in their life. So don’t feel bad if you feel extremely nervous due to of an upcoming interview. It’s normal. But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try and find a way to reduce your nerves. Otherwise you might give the impression that you’re not fit for the job. There are simple ways to reduce that anxiety. Here are some suggestions:

• Think and plan ahead – You never know what to expect at an interview. So it’s important to be prepared for the worst-case scenarios. So that means not only preparing for common interview questions, but being prepared for questions that you would probably struggle to answer. Face your fears, and come up with honest appropriate answers for those questions so that you’re fully prepared. And of course, doing your research on the company will also help you to be prepared, and it will demonstrate that you’re serious about being hired and working at the company.

• Practice – Have a friend or relative interview you, and treat it as the real thing with all your documents ready. That way your ‘interviewer’ will be able to point out your strengths and weaknesses as well as anything else you need to correct, like for example if your speaking informal manner. Furthermore, it’s important to also plan your journey to the place of the interview, or even better actually go there to know exactly where it will be, so that you avoid arriving late.

• Have a laugh – Having a laugh has been proven to reduce levels of stress hormones and anxiety. This is because when we laugh, our body releases ‘feel-good’ chemicals called endorphins. These are the same chemicals that are released when we exercise, and that naturally help us fight-off depression. So to reduce negative feelings and nervousness, try to fill up the hours before an interview with laughter! Visit your funniest friend, or watch a movie that always makes you laugh. Watching a comedy show, or your favourite comedian also works.

• Listen to music – A way to get rid of nerves is to listen to music that makes you feel calm. Something that will reduce your stress. On the other hand you can also listen to music that pumps you up. Music that makes you feel inspired. Ideally you want to end up having a playlist of songs that make you feel good, for you have an important appointment like an interview. Never forget. Music is powerful.

• Be open about nervousness – Just in case you still feel nervous during an interview, it’s ok to admit it. If you see that you start to stumble on a question, it’s ok to apologise and say that it’s your first interview, or that you haven’t been in that position for a long time. This makes you appear more human and honest, and the interviewer may be able to relate to you more. You never know if the interviewer is as nervous as you are.

In conclusion, the tips above will help reduce your anxiety. Read through this article as many times as you need, so that you can have a guide for whenever your nervous. Regardless, you need to be well prepared for an interview. If you need help to prepare your interview, click here and find out how we can help you be well prepared, and confident for your interview.