Opportunity Knocks 

How To Relax Before an Interview

Many people are nervous before and during a job interview. First of all, this is not uncommon. If you are one of these nervous interviewers, you are not alone. Let's face it, you are being judged in an interview, you are excited, you want to make a good impression, it is not easy.  

First, you should remember three things:

1) They invited you to meet. You may have been one or two of (in some cases) hundreds of applications, so there is some interest in you already.

2) They are hoping you are the one. They do not want the interview process to take weeks or months, they are hopeful that have found the right fit in you.

3) Not everyone interviews candidates for a living. The interviewer might be just as anxiety ridden as you are, they want you to like them, too.

Now, are we relaxing a bit? Here are some more suggestions for relaxing and taking some of the stress out of the interview process.

Be prepared!  Research the company, read the job description, know who you are meeting with and where you are going. It never hurts to pre-plan your actual trip. If it is an unfamiliar area, drive there the day before and time the trip so that you are on time. Make notes to yourself about the company, no one is uncomfortable with your review of notes, it shows you cared enough to make some.

Rehearse your elevator speech, know in advance what you want them to know about you and why you are a fit for the job. Try to anticipate any questions they may ask. Ask yourself "if I was interviewing candidates for this job, what would I want to know?" Know your strengths and remember to be confident in communicating them.

Think of the interview as an initial conversation, the word "interview" can be scary. Your mind-set matters, it will come out in your speech and your body language if you are nervous. People who interview for a living will try to make you comfortable.