Interviews are stressful. There is a lot riding on them. Because they are so important, job candidates naturally go through a range of emotions depending on how the interview is going – excitement, satisfaction, anxiety, nervousness, agitation, frustration, and doubt, just to name a few.
To perform well, however, it is important to have control over your emotions, rather than the other way around. There will naturally be ups and downs, but you need to remain calm, poised and confident no matter what and focused on answering the questions as best you can. Here are a few tips on how to do that.
How to Stay Calm and Focused During an Interview
1. Breathing
Most people don’t realize how big an effect breathing can have on how you feel. Taking deep, slow breaths can have a real calming effect. So, if you are feeling anxious or agitated, try breathing in slowly to a count of four, hold your breath for another four-count, and then breathe out for another count of four.
2. Hand clenching
Clenching and unclenching your hand is another way of coping with stress. Ball your hands into fists, clenching them tightly, then slowly open them up again.
3. Repeat a calming phrase
Repeating a word or phrase to yourself can also help to calm you down. For example, you can repeat the word “relax” over and over again, or something like, “Take it easy,” or “Be confident.”
4. Don’t fidget
First of all, motions like tapping your feet or fingers or playing with your hair will not make a good impression on the hiring manager. But more than that, doing these things will also ratchet up your anxiety level.
5. Focus
Make a real effort to keep your mind focused on the present moment, on the question you are answering now. You may be upset at the way you responded to a previous question, but you cannot let your annoyance linger. You have to let it go and focus on where you are at now.
6. Exercise
Exercise is a great way to control stress. Working out with weights or some type of aerobic activity can really help to get you back on a more even keel. It also helps you to think better and improves your mood.
Looking for an interview? We Can Help!
At Opti Staffing, we value quality over quantity. We care about our job candidates, our results and our relationships. We take the time to get to know our candidates, enabling us to make better matches with employers. We treat our people with respect, and establish long-term relationships. We have placed thousands of people since 1999. Give us a call today to see what Opti can do for you.
