It’s very typical to experience nerves, stress and anxiety before a job interview. In fact, 93% of candidates feel nervous before a job interview! Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, if you are invested in getting the role, it’s a nerve-wracking time. Our London recruitment agency is highly experienced helping candidates prepare for interviews so that nerves don’t get the better of you, ruining your chances of success. Here, we explain why you get nervous and therefore, how you can manage the nerves.
Understand why you’re nervous
While nerves before a job interview are normal, the reasons for the nerves aren’t always apparent. Understanding why you are nervous can help you manage and combat your stress.
In most instances, the driving factor for nerves is the uncertainty. As humans, we like predictability. Additionally, you may feel unprepared, worry about competition, feel stressed about time constraints, experience some fear of meeting new people, feel concerned about rejection or simply lack experience. Imposter syndrome commonly rears its head at interview stage too.
While simply knowing why you are nervous might help, once you’ve identified why you’re nervous, what can you do about it?
How to calm your pre-interview nerves
1. Research
A sure fire way to combat the sense of uncertainty is to do some homework and prepare for the interview. Do some research to find out more about the business, as well as the job. Make sure you’ve considered examples from your experience to use as the basis of answers to scenario-based and competency questions.
2. Practice
Most of us don’t get much interview practice and this makes it feel like something new and unknown every time. The solution is to practice. You can do some practice by yourself, simply answering questions out loud. Friends and family can help too. Alternatively, if you work with a London recruitment agency, ask your consultant if they will do a practice interview with you.
3. Practicalities
You won’t be able to banish all reasons for nerves, but you can eliminate some. Make sure that you’ve got the practicalities covered. Check out the route and practice it, if possible. Allow yourself plenty of time. Ensure you have copies of all your documents to hand. Have your outfit prepared.
4. Put a face to the interviewers
If possible, use the company website or LinkedIn to see what your interviewer looks like and learn a bit more about them. Making them feel more familiar can help.
5. Manage your anxiety
There are numerous anxiety-management techniques that you can utilise to calm your nerves. From rationalising the situation with positive statements such as, “I have succeeded in reaching interview and I am prepared to succeed,” through to mindful breathing, it’s possible to reduce anxiety symptoms. It’s also worth considering your perspective – even if you aren’t successful this time, the interview is good experience and a stepping stone to other opportunities.
At Love Success, we help you feel confident in your job hunt and application process. We’re here to support you on your road to success. Learn more about being a Love Success candidate.