Shaking Interview Nerves
Upcoming interview got you feeling a little like Mr. Jelly? Here are my top five tips for shaking off your nerves before the interview.
Be Prepared. This is more of a defensive move. It prevents me from having a million extra things to be nervous about. I go through a checklist: I’ve practiced common interview questions, I’ve researched the company, I’ve prepared questions I’d like to ask during the interview, I have a number in mind for my salary, I know how to get there, I know where to park, I know who to ask for at reception, I’ve set an alarm for when I should go to bed, I’ve set an alarm for when I need to wake up, I’ve set an alarm for when I need to leave my house, I have an outfit picked out, I’ve packed my bag beforehand with everything I’ll need. This minimizes those spikes in anxiety when my mind starts to race: Did I pack my resumes? Yes. What if they ask me about my weaknesses? That’s fine, because I know the answer. What if I was wrong about the time? There’s no way. I triple checked when I set my alarms. This really gives my anxiety the elbow room it needs to focus on the completely irrational fears.
Plan to get there early. Let’s not rely too heavily on the estimated arrival times from your favorite map app. Testing your chances with traffic or public transportation can mean you’re spending moments right before the interview worrying about making it on time. You’ll show up all sweaty and filled with adrenaline. Not a great look. Instead, just plan to get there early (as early as you need to feel like you’re not playing with fire). But remember to hide out at a nearby coffee shop, so you don’t look like some sort of creep lurking in the parking lot.
For those of you that may be interviewing via webcam, this translates a little differently. You should get everything set up way ahead of time. Check your wifi connection, webcam angles, lighting, and backdrop days ahead and again an hour before. Set up your desk with your notes, a notepad, writing utensils, and your drink of choice. Get your kids, dogs, and roommates all settled. Hit up the bathroom to empty the tank and check your teeth just before you call in.Left nostril breathing. Before you write off left-nostril breathing as some hippie-s***, give it a try. The left nostril is said to be connected to the parasympathetic nervous system and can help alleviate anxiety. (Google it!) Set a timer for three minutes. Get in a comfy relaxed position and block your right nostril with your right thumb. Breath long and even breaths through your left nostril. Count your breath in for 10 seconds and your breath out for 10 seconds. Best case scenario, you’ve found a simple and cheap trick to calm your nerves. Worst case scenario, you wasted a few minutes breathing through one nostril and have a booger on your right thumb.
Break the ice. Sometimes just breaking the ice with a bit of small talk can help me realize that I’m just speaking with another human being. I understand this might not be the easiest advice to take for an introvert, but I’ll give a few examples for inspiration. During your previous correspondence, they mentioned they had been out on vacation. Ask about that vacation and maybe chat about travel for a few minutes. You see a picture frame on their desk of their family at the top of a mountain. Ask them what hike that was and chat about some local hiking trails you love. There’s lots of little ways to make a connection with someone. And once you have a small connection, it can be easier to talk to them. Now they’re not just the person that holds your future in their hands, they’re also that person that loves that banh mi place on Elm Street.
Always have a brain fart antidote. Your interviewer asks you about a time you made a mistake. Your mind blanks on your prepared answer for a question like this. All you can think about is that time you got called out for mistakenly rearranging your project team member’s name into a slang term for a penis on the coversheet of your calculation package. Your interviewer’s name is Richard. Oh f***, does he go by Dick? You feel yourself starting to sweat... Don’t panic! You have the antidote. You start by taking a deep breath. Buy yourself some time by clarifying the question. Still nothing in that useless thing you call a brain? Ask them if it’s OK to get back to the question later, write it down, and be the one to raise the question again when you think of an answer. While it would be great to have a perfect polished answer to every question they throw at you, you’re not perfect (no one is). But the great thing about this maneuver is that it shows the interviewer how you might handle a similar situation on the job. You show that you can be cool under pressure, take useful notes, and take responsibility for answering the question in the end. And if I still can’t think of anything by the end of the interview, I’m just going to have to tell that embarrassing story and hope for the best…