3 Strategies to Avoid an Attack of Nerves During your Next Job Interview.

I was speaking to a very personable, witty young man last night in a class I was teaching. He said that when he goes to an interview, while they are talking in the hall on the way to the interview he is able to be himself. However, as soon as he sits down in the interview chair, he freezes up and is a nervous wreck. This is a common problem for many people when it comes to job interviews.

I would like to offer some tactics you can employ to make sure this does not happen to you.

Put the Interview into Perspective
People dread job interviews more than going into the dentist for a root canal. No pain is going to be inflicted during the interview! It is just a conversation with another person. You really don’t have anything to lose in an interview except the time it takes to go to the interview. The worst thing that can happen is that you do not get the job. You did not have the job when you walked in the door, so what did you really lose?

Assess Your Fears
What is it about interviews that you fear? Is it fear of the unknown? Prepare for the interview and this fear will be alleviated. Is your fear based on the fact that you want them to like you, or that you want their approval? The more nervous you appear, the less likely you are to gain that approval you are seeking. Don’t worry about the things you can’t control. You can control your preparation, your attitude, and the way you present yourself in an interview. If you do these things well, you have done your best and the rest is out of your control.

Preparation
I am an introverted person by nature. However, I get up in front of hundreds of people and teach job seeking skills and I really enjoy it! The reason I am able to do this comfortably is due to my preparation and knowledge of the subject. The more prepared you are to discuss a subject, the less nervous you will be. Become very familiar with your skills, the benefits you can offer an employer, and prepare several examples of times you have used these skills successfully. Take several hours to prepare this information and all your future interviews will go much more smoothly.