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| "You can reduce anxiety through practice, realistic expectations, and preparation." |
10 Tried and Tested Tips to Reduce Job Interview Anxiety
Many jobseekers can pull off in a job interview just fine, but not without the jitters and job interview anxiety that bother even the most confident contenders. Applicants experience varying levels of anxiety,
To some, especially first-time job applicants, this anxiety can be crippling and result in non-performance during a job interview. While no one may perhaps ever get used to job interviews knowing it's a different ball game each time - a new prospective employer, new environment, new interviewer, etc - yet, you can reduce anxiety through practice, realistic expectations (not in a negative way), and preparation.
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How to Reduce Anxiety in Interviews
- Visit the venue a day or two before your interview date. This will help you familiarize with the place and so you know where your interview would be held. Visiting the site can also make you feel comfortable about the atmosphere in the company. Locate the wash rooms where you can retouch before the interview.
- Create imageries of the interview in your head. Try to visualize how the interview will go along, what would be the possible questions thrown at you by the interviewer vis-à-vis your resume and performance, and how you are going to answer them. Enacting the interview in your mind allows you to play with the various possibilities during the interview, thus, helping significantly in your preparations.
- Keep expectations at realistic levels. There's nothing wrong with being optimistic but it should be tied around a realistic view of the possible outcome after the interview. Landing on a job you truly deserve is not synonymous to getting that job. You've read the qualifications and responsibilities required of this job that's why you applied for it, so it's time to be yourself during the interview. Be confident.
- Avoid too much levity. Alright, so you're usually the office clown cracking jokes and making things light for the team, but don't bring this out in an interview. Job interviews are serious business and for some, it's a matter of life and being alive. It can be tempting to use humor, but you should rarely use it while in this type of meeting with a prospective employer.
- Exercise, get a massage, or just prep yourself up a day before the interview. Be careful with working out, though, especially if you don't do it regularly, as you might be troubled with muscle aches on interview day. Tension can begin the day before so distracting yourself with calming activities can help you relax.
- Research and learn as much about the company beforehand. This is protocol even at a stage when you're still eyeing to apply for a job in this company. High interest in the company, its products, and the position can be a motivating tool that will push you to make good in the interview.
- Decide on your salary expectations. This will prevent you from stammering and saying things you don't intend to say. Set your salary expectations based on the industry standard and then add a little bit to it.
- Remind yourself to correct wrong answers by saying: "I'm sorry, that's not what I intend to say. Let me say that again." Be sure to say only the right things the second time around.
- Apply for jobs that don't interest you and use interviews for these to practice. Even if you are qualified for the open position but have little interest in it, you can still use the venue to acquaint yourself with the experience of being interviewed.
- Get your things for the interview ready the night before. This includes your interview attire, personal items to take with you, and your mobile phone so you can just relax on the day of the interview, thus reducing anxiety.
Now, go to that interview and go home with flying colors.
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