5 tips to calm job interview nerves

It’s completely normal to feel nervous in the lead up to a job interview. But rather than turning up as a jittery mess - whether in person or on a screen via video call - and allowing your nerves to get the better of you, there are lots of techniques you can turn to.

For quick wins: On the day of the interview, you may like to stick to your usual morning routine, like having breakfast and coffee. When the interview time is nearing, go outside for some fresh air and breathe deeply, taking your time to clear your mind and get your heart rate down. If meditating helps you, find a spot to do this to collect your thoughts. Perhaps your interview is in the afternoon and you’re able to go for a run at lunchtime? For some people, they need to give themselves a good pep talk to build their confidence up. For others, that pep talk may need to come from a trusted friend, parent or mentor.

No matter the technique you use, the aim is to tackle the stressfulness of the situation and get you to a point where you are relaxed and able to handle the nerves when they come.

Here are some helpful tips to combat the nerves before a job interview:

1. Visualising success

Top performers are known to use visualisation techniques to overcome nervousness. It involves running through the interview in your mind ahead of the event. Picture yourself entering the room feeling calm and in control. Visualise yourself standing tall, smiling and shaking hands with your interviewer. Imagine answering questions with confidence and poise, building a great rapport, and leaving the room feeling happy with your performance.

Focusing on the best-case scenario will also help you keep your composure in the lead-up to the interview. Your positivity and confidence will show during the interview, and the employer will probably mirror your positive energy. If you’re confident you deserve the job, they may just feel the same.

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2. Practising your responses

Interview nerves are often caused by a fear of the unknown, or concern that you are going to freeze or say the wrong thing. To avoid this, you should spend some time rehearsing answers to common interview questions. Do it somewhere private at home, perhaps your room, where you can say your responses out loud and make adjustments where necessary. This will help you to feel more comfortable and confident in your ability to provide coherent, succinct responses on the day.

You might also be thrown an unexpected question. See if you can’t anticipate some curveballs and come up with a response – are you happy with what you’ve come up with on the spot?

3. Be prepared

If you don't truly prepare yourself for the interview, your nerves will most likely take over. Taking the time to prepare the details of your interview will help you stay relaxed, and the interviewer will be able to tell that you’ve put some time and effort in before turning up.

Confirm the name and contact number of your interviewer, the time you should arrive and what you plan to wear. Ensure you have all relevant documents on hand, including your CV and examples of past work. Give yourself plenty of travel time in case you get delayed – being late could lose you the job before you've even begun. Being early gives you plenty of time to compose yourself prior to the interview.

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4. Take your time

Give yourself ample time to answer the questions as they come. There’s nothing wrong with pausing for a few seconds, as it shows your interviewer you’re considering what they’ve said. When feeling nervous at an interview, you’ll end up rushing your responses. This will often cause you to miss the point of the question and leave the interviewer struggling to keep up as you rush through your answer.

Focus on articulating your answer slowly and clearly. If you forgot what the question was, avoid giving an answer that you hope might be correct. Instead, keep calm and ask the interviewer if you have covered their key points. Don’t forget you can ask questions, too.

5. Silence your critical voice and think positively

Mindset is a powerful thing. Changing the way you think about an interview can have a huge impact on the amount of pressure you feel. A positive mindset will be evident to your potential employer. Be sure to smile and reflect your positivity through your body language too. Rather than thinking you’re being judged or you don’t deserve to be there, try viewing the interview as an exciting challenge to overcome.

Remind yourself of past successes and concentrate on the strengths you could bring to the role. Avoid putting expectations on yourself to give perfect answers, or thinking about things over which you have no control, such as the competition. Instead, focus your energy on simply giving the best interview you can.

Remember, your interview is a conversation and not a one-way barrage of questions on you, alone. Make sure you come prepared with questions you’d like to ask the interviewer. That way, you have another part of the interview to look forward to as you find out more about the role.

If you need more job interview tips, check out our latest career advice articles here.