October 27, 2022

How to not be nervous for an interview?

For most professionals, the idea of having a job interview represents a very stressful situation. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone who has just finished college or a person with some years of experience, an interview always causes certain level of anxiety. That is perfectly normal and, fortunately, all that stress is manageable.  

Do you want to know how to not be nervous for an interview? At T2W we have an extensive experience in personnel recruitment and selection processes, so we can help you. In this article, we explore actions that can help you deal with the anxiety that job interviews usually cause in people.  

1. Be careful with your diet 

You probably are thinking, “How is food related to a job interview?” Well, a lot! All the different food we eat has some impact in our mood and state of mind. The wrong food could increase your stress and anxiety levels during the interview. The first thing you need to avoid is coffee. Yes, that is probably an essential element in your morning routine, but it can affect you negatively in the interview. 

Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and gives you a boost of energy, which is great if you want to wake up in the morning. However, in excess or in a specific scenario, such as a job interview, it can increase your heart rate, as well as increasing the feeling of anxiety e unrest. That won’t help you in your interview since good results will come as long as you can keep calm. 

Likewise, avoid drinking tea, since it causes similar effects as coffee. Finally, the excess of sugar affects your nerves in a job interview. There is also food that can help you relax before an interview. First, fruits such as bananas have the property of increasing serotonin levels, which helps you feel more relaxed.  

Additionally, nuts and almonds are food that are perfect to fight stress. That is due to their high levels of magnesium, which is great for a job interview. Finally, cereals like wheat and rice are good to calm the nerves since they are rich in carbohydrates. 

2 . Get ready for the questions 

Get ready for the questions 

One of the worst mistakes for most candidates is not getting ready for the job interview. Being caught off guard could create doubts and nerves in most applicants. For that reason, try to understand and generate possible responses for the most common job interview questions a couple of days before in advance. These are usually focused on people strengths, weaknesses and achievements. 

There are many types of questions in a job interview. Some of the interrogatives you will have to deal with are situational and behavioral questions. These aim to know the way you have faced work-related situations in the past. The good news is that these usually repeat, and you can even use the STAR method to answer them. If you try some answers for the most common questions before the interview, you will have less doubts and anxiety. 

3. Get to know the company a little better 

Imagine that you are in the middle of the interview and the questioner asks, “What do you know about our company?” Or perhaps, “Why do you want to work with us?” If you failed to research the organization previously, you will doubt while trying to formulate an answer, which will make it difficult to continue with the interview at ease. That’s why it’s always necessary to learn more from the company you are applying to. 

You will find different information about the company, but focus on specific details. First, its history: how long has it been in the field? What are its main achievements? What is its mission? What is its vision? What are the company values? Finally, check what is the working style in the organization. These factors will help you formulate better answers about the business. 

4. Breathe correctly 

Finally, you can’t forget that, despite all the fuss they usually it causes in candidates, job interviews are just a calm conversation between two people. As simple as that. This isn’t a test that requires studying. You just have to answer some questions being honest and calm. In that sense, a key aspect to calm the nerves during a job interview is your breathing. 

Whenever you are nervous, your body prepares for danger and you star breathing faster than normally. To avoid that, you have to practice your breathing. Breathe in slowly and keep the air in for about 2 or 3 seconds. Then, exhale the air. Try to keep an upright posture and don’t use tight clothes that could difficult breathing. If you can successfully control your breathing, you will be a lot less nervous. 

What is the worst thing could happen if you don’t pass the interview? Would it be the end of your career? Not at all! If you don’t get the position, you move on and find another job opportunity. You can be sure that job opportunities won’t be scarce and you’ll find a place where you can unfold all your potential.  

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.  

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