Pursuing various jobs in the modern day’s ever-growing healthcare career demands can be a tough feat if there’s no ample research, knowledge of current career trends, and job search plan, like getting ready for a job interview. In fact, this applies to any field in today’s labor market.
Therefore, it’s imperative that you make the best out of your job search game by being willful with it. Nevertheless, you might’ve experienced feeling nervous whenever the topic of interviews comes up. Why does this happen, and how can you avoid it? Heed the foolproof tricks outlined in this guide to help you calm nerves before an interview and enjoy the process instead.
Reasons Behind Getting Nervous Before Interviews
As a job seeker, you might be curious about the reasons job interviews are so stressful, as well as why job interviews tend to make you feel nervous.
As psychologist Dr. Sherry Benton of Tao Connect explains, experiencing nervousness happens when people feel like doing a performance or dealing with a stressful situation. Hence, being nervous is due to the brain’s effort to help us prepare for what’s coming. Your brain signals your body to be in “defense mode” though there’s no real danger. This is because you’re in a “similar” case when you’re doing a job interview.
4 Ways on How to Calm Nerves Before an Interview
Having a game plan beats all those jitters. Ensure you have one so that you can avoid useless pressure. Give these awesome tricks a try and see how your whole interview session will improve.
1. Prepare.
Don’t overlook the power of starting your day right and how it can help you set the mood for the rest of the day. Eat a good breakfast, take deep breaths, and slow down as you prepare for your interview day. If it helps, you can try waking up hours sooner than your usual wake-up time, so that you won’t have to rush your schedule.
Further, try hyping yourself up to shrug off the nervousness in your body. You can do this aptly by reciting your mantras or listening to calming songs on your playlist. You can also ask your peers, family, and friends for motivation and pieces of advice to help you do well in your interview.
2. Dress to feel your best self.
Whether you’re doing an in-person or virtual interview, try to wear an outfit that you feel most confident in while keeping professionalism. Before your interview day, try some clothes and pick the power outfit you know would help boost your confidence.
Lastly, show up at the venue or in the virtual meeting looking sharp, neat, and presentable. Doing this doesn’t only help you give the impression that you’re well-prepared; it also lets you set a good mood, telling your overall state that it’s going to be a good session. Hence, you’ll be able to think positive thoughts only.
3. Be willful with your mindset.
As you count the hours and minutes before your interview, it’s also best to keep your mindset in check as your mental state can affect your overall state. As a result, you may experience having negative thoughts and forgetting how to calm nerves before an interview.
If it helps, you should also plan to reward yourself no matter the result. This, in turn, will help you feel more relaxed and stay calm before an interview, due to having something you can look forward to after the session.
4. Place a strong value on being on time.
One of the most crucial ways to avoid getting too much pressure before an interview is arriving early or on time on your interview day. If you’re doing a virtual one, set up your gadgets and Internet connection at least an hour before to check if everything’s working.
Apart from helping you create a good impression on the interviewer or hiring manager with your good trait, you can also use your free time while waiting to calm nerves before an interview. Either rehearse your self-intro or do some stretches to wake your mind and body.
3 Ways on How to Calm Nerves During an Interview
Aside from knowing how to calm nerves before an interview, it’s also key to know how to do so during the session itself. Here are some quick tips to get you started.
1. Don’t rush.
Ensure you’ve done your breathing exercises to help lower your heart rate. This helps you stay calm during the meeting and lets you speak at a more proper speed.
Further, learn to slow down and don’t think anyone’s rushing you to express your answers in a snap. Instead, make sure to listen to the question, understand what the interviewer tries to get out of you, and think about your answers carefully.
2. Find your most relaxed sitting position.
To avoid unnecessary shaking, feeling irritated, and fidgeting, take time to sit properly during the meeting. Avoid leaning back on your chair as it can affect your posture and tempt you to slouch. This may be subtle, but your body language has an impact not just on how you’ll be able to focus but also on the overall mood of the interview.
If this is something novel to you, you can try practicing your best sitting position while you’re at home. This way, you’re already aware of it and won’t have a hard time during the big day.
3. Treat it as a normal talk.
Perhaps the simplest tip, try your best to enjoy the conversation by being yourself. It’s crucial to avoid too much formality and the risk of losing your “true voice” throughout the interview.
While it’s expected to stay professional, throwing in some personality in your interviews can help tone down the formal atmosphere and allow you to enjoy the process. With this, making it casual, fun, and engaging adds a unique touch to how you talk about your skills and experience.
Maximize Your Job Search
Now that you’re aware of the tips and tricks you can apply on how to calm nerves before an interview, it’s time to apply them toward acing your job hunting game.
Browse more of Resumeds’ medical career advice to help kickstart your job search journey and build your target career path.
