Strategies to Beat Interview Nervousness
It’s natural to have interview nervousness. Someone is about to examine your appearance, mannerisms, what you say, and how you say it thoroughly. If he likes you, it could mean you’ll get the internship and get a nice treatment at the office. And if he doesn’t like you, you might fail and have to look for another internship opportunity. So yes, the stakes are high. To avoid bad things to happen, try follow the strategies to beat interview nervousness below.
Be prepared
A bit of interview nervousness and anticipation may actually help you perform better. The problem arises when that little bit of nervousness consumes you. Try to focus to do your homework. Preparation will lead to more confidence. It can even make you look forward to the interview. Confidence can also help you channel your nervous energy into a positive force. The more you prepare and practice, the more confident you’ll feel during the interview. This confidence will help you eliminate your interview nervousness habits.
Listen
When interview nervousness strikes, you may find it hard to listen and often answer the wrong question. It happens because you’re more focus with your fear rather than the person in front of you. So, try to slow down your body's natural responses and listen. It will also help to make the other person feel special and show you value their question.
Be fresh and focused
Believe it or not, getting a good night’s sleep the night before the interview will ensure you’re fresh and ready for the ‘big day.’ It may hard to be done, but try to go to bed early. It will help banish interview nervousness and ensure your mind to be more focused for the interview.
Leave plenty of time to reach the interview destination
Arriving barely before the interview begins will not do your pre-interview nerves any favors whatsoever. On the contrary, it will make you interview nervousness becomes stronger. Try to plan your journey. Know where you are going and leaving plenty of time to get there will help you stay calm for the interview.
Take deep, long breaths
It has long been recognized that shallow breathing contributes to panic and anxiety. On the other hand, breathing deeply is a well-known technique to calm the body down. Before the interview, work on controlling your breathing. Take a deep breath in and hold it for several seconds before breathing out. When you feel interview nervousness creeping over you, practice this deep breathing.
Think positively
Your mind plays an important role to make yourself feel better. Try to imagine a positive scenario in which you are completely in control. Picture yourself answering the questions confidently and impressing the interviewer. Imagine knowing you’ll hear positive news from the company. And remember to smile. Smiling will convince your brain you’re happy and ready to tackle anything the interview might throw at you.
