How to make sure your nerves don’t get the better of you
Prepare beforehand! - Make sure you’re well researched into the role and company – you can’t predict exactly what questions you’ll be asked but knowing as much as possible about the company, role and wider industry will be invaluable because it’s bound to come up! It’s also useful to have a think about your key skills and what would differentiate you from other candidates – try and make them relevant to the role.
Practice! -It’s worth getting a friend or member of your family to run through a practice interview a couple of days beforehand. This is an ideal opportunity to put all your research into practice and start thinking about how the interview will work in practice.
Plan your route! -Work out your route beforehand, allowing plenty of time for delays and bad traffic. Make sure you arrive a good half an hour beforehand –because that will give you time to calm yourself down before the interview and run through your preparation beforehand.
Put it in perspective! - Remember that the interview is a two-way process and is as much about you figuring out if the job is for you, as it is for the interviewers to grill you. Remember too that it doesn’t all hang on this role. And finally be positive – your interviewers obviously think you have potential, otherwise they wouldn’t go to the trouble of interviewing you. Think “I could get this job” rather than “I might not get this job”.
Play the game! - When you meet your interviewer, make sure you shake their hand confidently and give them a big smile with eye contact. There’s nothing better than getting off to a positive start so you’re on the front foot. This will boost your confidence and build instant rapport with your interviewer. During the interview, make sure you’re engaging and demonstrating a positive attitude through your tone of voice and body language.
Good luck!
