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How to be calm in the Job Interview Hot Seat?
- November 20, 2023
- Career Advice CEO of your Career
“Seated in a chair in front of the interview panellist for my dream job, thoughts raced through my head of what they would ask me next. My palms got sweaty, my leg twitched, my heart raced faster than my thoughts, while my stomach churned its own tune. I stammered as I spoke about what I did every day for a living”
Sounds Familiar? And you are not alone. Many of us get nervous during job interviews.
Why do we get nervous in Job Interviews?
Job Interviews can be daunting. Well for many of us, sitting in front of someone unknown who will be scanning every word you say, evaluating you on what you wear, how you speak, what you have achieved and in a short span of time passing a judgement of your fitment– is a trigger for stress and anxiety.
How does anxiety affect a job interview?
The description above is what you would experience when you are nervous and anxious. When you are confronted with a stressful situation, your body’s nervous system goes into “survival mode” and activates adrenalin, the hormone that prepares the body for sudden, physical activity. The brain, redirects energy to your heart and muscles to prepare them to react to the possible ‘threat’. This is why we feel uncomfortable physical symptoms when we are nervous.
Anxiety and nervousness may also make it difficult for you to pause and think, as your brain forces you takes extreme and fast decisions in “survival”, which may prevent you from giving a well thought answer.
However, it is the ability to stay calm can help you drive a successful job interview. A calm person is able to display confidence, give well thought through answers, ask meaningful questions and show that you are the right person for the job.
How to be calm in your job interview?
We completely understand, its easier said than done. Here are some tried and tested tips to help you be calmer in your next job interview. We are sure that following the tips below can help you feel better before and during the interview.
Be Prepared – Do your research
It is a known fact, preparing in advance for something that you are worried about, will not only help you feel better, but helps solve problems. Now let’s apply this to the situation of a job interview.
What should you do to be prepared for the job interview?
- Research your potential employer – find out about the company and the industry by talking to people and searching on google. Write down some questions you may have for your interviewer.
- Understand the Job Profile – Ensure you understand the job profile of the job that you are interviewing for and understand how your skills match the specific role.
- Research the interviewer – Get to know about the person or people who is going to interview you, check their profile on the company website and Linkedin. You get an idea on what they do, hence guess what they could ask, and also learn something about their interests which could help you build a rapport with them.
- Practice makes you perfect –
- Know your resume – If there is something on your resume, you need to own it. Know your facts and practice being articulate about how your skills and qualifications align to their need.
- Make a list of questions that you may be asked from a technical point of view and rehearse them.
- If there is a question that you are worried about, ensure you have an answer ready for it
- Ask a friend, relative who is supportive, to help you prepare. If possible, practice some interview role-play with you. Take their feedback constructively, and work on those points.
Remove Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) and Be Positive
Wipe out any negative thoughts and limiting beliefs. According to Brain Coach, Jim Kwik, if you keep telling yourself that you can’t do something, or something will go wrong or that you don’t have the smarts to do something, your brain starts to believe it. These are called Automatic Negative Thoughts or ANTs. Jim Quick suggests, that we should not shrink what’s possible to fit our mind, but expand our mind to fit what’s possible.
For a job interview some ANTs could be – maybe I don’t have the experience they are looking for, what if I am not able to answer the technical question X ? etc. Well to answer the first one, you made it this round of the interview because your potential employer thinks you are eligible and have the potential – so don’t worry! For the second question, practice your technical material, so you are well prepared, and then you won’t need to worry!
Just, practice, visualizing yourself doing a great job, answering all the questions with full confidence and impressing the interviewer.
Treat the interview as a conversation
Remember, an interview is not just about the employer trying to judge you, it is also the other way around. It is an opportunity for you to get to know the potential employer, learn about them and ask your questions too. So have a list of your questions ready too.
Keep in mind, they have scanned your CV and believe you are a potential candidate. They liked your CV, so they are already on your side. They too want to fill their position and just want to have a conversation to gauge compatibility.
Arrive Early
Arrive Early Never be late for an interview. Nothing can stress you out more than being late. Plan your journey to the location, so you know how long you need to be there on time.
Get up early in the morning so you have enough time to get ready. Prepare your outfit, ahead of time. Ensure it is clean and ironed.
You should reach the interview location early, so you have enough time before the interview to:
- visit the powder room to tidy up from your commute (if possible)
- practice a little deep breathing (in case you are anxious) – remember breathing techniques help reduce your heart rate and calm your stress.
- take into account time for any check-ins in the building
- put your thoughts together, and relax
Once you are there in the interview, walk in confidently with a smile and greet your interviewers. Sit up straight. Talk confidently about yourself and give it your best. We know you want to ace the interview, and are sure you will. But don’t put too much pressure on your-self. Always remember, this is not the only job out there. So don’t worry and just be positive!
If this article has made you think – then think no more and take action. For hands-on help to build an impactful and satisfying career, reach out to our experts at Hire Pundit at [email protected]
At Hire Pundit, our team of experts is always here to help guide at every of step of your career journey helping you to land the job you desire. We can help you put your best foot forward by jointly defining your value proposition on your CV and LinkedIn, assist you in finding your perfect job, prepare you for interviews, aid cultural and language trainings, negotiations, and support you through a smooth transition.
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