CAREERLIFESTYLE & TRAVEL

4 Ideas to Limit Nerves in an Interview

Make sure your outfit is in place, and your tone is as professional as can be. Walking into a room with one or sometimes more than one person that seem to be judging you can be intimidating. Reaching out to shake their hand, hoping its not too clammy and wondering if they can see you shaking. Job interviews are stressful and nerve wracking, and here are a few reasons why it's actually not as bad as it seems:

Making an impression

Here's the cool part about a job interview: your interviewer doesn't know you, so however you present yourself dictate their first impression. They only know what they see and hear from you in that interview. Leaving all that stuff behind you before walking into the interview room is a good way to start fresh and impress the interviewers. Be prepared by doing research and practicing talking about yourself and let your best qualities shine.

What to say

Being interviewed for a job can seem like a test. Someone is asking you questions and the stress of making sure you answer correctly can feel unbearable. For most exams, though, you don’t get a cheat sheet, but for this one you do - your resume! When being asked about prior experience, limit freezing up by referencing the same piece of paper that the interviewers are referencing. Interviewers are asking about the person you know most about, yourself! Being completely honest is key, because it’s easier to talk about past experiences that you’ve lived through rather than trying to scrape up what you think an interviewer wants to hear.

Not knowing the answer

Sometimes an interviewer could ask a question that you don't know the answer to, and that's OK! If it’s about a skill you might have not yet acquired, its okay to be honest and say even though you don't know, you're willing to learn. If the question is about sharing an example of an experience that you haven't been through, it is also ok to admit it and add how you might handle a similar situation rather than making something up..

Walking out of an interview

After the interview, remember that you have done all that you could. It’s important to follow up with a “Thank you” card or email to show that you appreciated that interviewer’s time, regardless of the result. You never know if a future opportunity may come up and that employer remembers you. Job interviews can be intimidating, of course, but they aren't as terrifying as those minutes before an interview can feel. Best-case scenario: everything goes perfectly and you get the job and it’s exactly what you've dreamed of. Worst-case scenario: it’s not what you pictured the position to be, and it’s not the job for you. Whatever the case, take a deep breath, put on a nice smile, and do your best.