Tips for Handling Interview Nerves

Being nervous can be a pretty unpleasant feeling. Nobody likes to feel anxious, under-confident, fearful of the situation, unsure of themselves - and most people have experienced one or more of these feelings at some time or other.

Controlling your nerves isn't easy, and even if it were, it's one more thing to have to think about in what is an inherently stressful situation. But keeping your anxiousness under control can reap such huge benefits that it is certainly worthwhile. And nerves can be controlled. Learning simple techniques will at first help, and eventually may even become an unconscious habit, so you automatically control your nerves better.

Transforming Thought Processes

Internal dialogue

For nervousness, you need to identify the thought process behind your nervousness and so deal with it more positively. You do this by internal dialogue. Discuss the thought process with yourself, and try just focusing on the thoughts - that will take your attention away from the emotion and its biological effects on your system. Don't worry that you won't have time for this - conducting internal dialogue is pretty quick for most people; these split-second 'conversations' usually go on in our heads all the time.

Identify thought processes

• Identify the thought process, eg, 'I might not get the job.'
• Doing this takes your mind off the emotion you are feeling.
• It also refocuses your attention.

Evaluate rationally

• Evaluate the thought rationally - this means examining it unemotionally.
• Is it justified to that extent?
• Is it even true?
• Would the consequences that you fear really be all that bad?
• Talk it over with yourself - rationally , eg, 'They wouldn't have interviewed me if they didn't think I was a possibility. If I don't get it, there are other jobs out there. But I might get it - who knows?'

Replace the negative thought with something more helpful

• amend it
• replace with a more sensible, appropriate and/or positive thought, eg, 'I might get the job or I might not. Either way this is valuable experience I can learn from.'

Re-examine how you feel

• Re-examine the emotion you feel
• It should either be reducing or gone, eg, 'Hey! If I see it as a learning experience, this interview doesn't make me feel quite so nervous!'

Relaxing and Calming Yourself

Breathe

• Getting oxygen to your brain will make you able to think more clearly.
• Breathe deeply and slowly.
• Try breathing in for a count of five, then out for a count of five.
• Get some fresh air. Like breathing, this will increase the supply of oxygen to your brain and make you able to think more clearly.
• Take a short walk - for the same reason.

Calming rituals

• People often have calming rituals, such as having a cigarette or a cup of tea. If you don't have one, establish one!
• Have a drink - preferably a soft drink, juice or water.
• Remember that tea and coffee are stimulants, so if you are very nervous, they won't help and could even make things worse - caffeine can make you feel even more anxious!

Relaxing yourself

• Find somewhere to sit down.
• Concentrate on relaxing.
• Starting with your feet and moving up, tighten each part of your body in turn and then relax it. This will remove any muscle tension.
• Concentrate on relaxing your body - stop nervous, edgy movements and actions such as fiddling, licking your lips, biting lips, tapping feet, etc.