interview anxieties

LegacyUser

Hi everyone,

I will keep this brief and any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. I had an interview today and it didn't go well. The problem was that nerves got the better of me. for example, I had a glass of water during it and everytime I picked it up it was like some nightmare comedy sketch where the glass and water were shaking everywhere it was the second stage of the interview process (2nd interview) and initial I was calm and confident but my interview got delayed so I had to wait and basically my calm exterior evaporated while waiting..... Sometime I give great interviews and sometime stuff like this happens (particularly if it is a job I would really like). I am just wondering what people do to remain calm, decrease this nervousness/jitter particularly during the interview.

black & white

A couple of rules that I have used over the years both at interview and meeting Clients at sales presentations etc.

1. I never accept tea/coffee/water etc.
2. Use breathing exercises to calm myself before or when delayed.
3. Keep a comedy CD in the car and listen to it on the way to i/v or meeting.
4. Prepare your material or likely responses well beforehand. The more I know my stuff, the more confident I am.

boarduser1980

Rescue remedy is great before an interview, it is great for calming you. you can get it in boots its only about 8 quid, get the spray one.

Ickle Magoo

You could try doing some public speaking - join an amateur dramatics or debating club which forces you to get used to speaking under pressure. You could also look into meditation and breathing techniques to keep you calm and focused.

Best of luck!

IrishEyes19

black & white wrote: »

A couple of rules that I have used over the years both at interview and meeting Clients at sales presentations etc.

1. I never accept tea/coffee/water etc.
2. Use breathing exercises to calm myself before or when delayed.
3. Keep a comedy CD in the car and listen to it on the way to i/v or meeting.
4. Prepare your material or likely responses well beforehand. The more I know my stuff, the more confident I am.

OP, I find listening to music on the way over is good to relax.

@ Black and White, just out of interest, why do you refuse tea/water...ect....:)

2manyconditions

IrishEyes19 wrote: »

OP, I find listening to music on the way over is good to relax.

@ Black and White, just out of interest, why do you refuse tea/water...ect....:)

I wouldn't get tea/coffee either, in an interview situation, I am already having to remind myself not to figit and keep calm and focus on the questions (I tend to tune out during the middle of a question or if they start banging on about the company) so I don't want to
a) spill the drink - what can go wrong will go wrong and that would be one huge disaster..
b) start to figit with the drink - take a sip every 2 seconds
c) it would prob run through me and I would need to use the bathroom during the interview.
d) if my hands are shaking - I would not want them to see that (sorry OP) - Clasp your hand together and keep them on your lap.

RE: calming myself down before the interview. I usually bring in reading material - about the company/answers to interview questions and try to memorise in the few minutes before - this also keeps me focused on the task ahead, sometimes there is a paper in the reception and I pick it up and try to read - not that I can.

Maybe as an interview tip I was taught or something I read but there are situations that you may be put into on purpose - like constant interruptions during the meeting at the door, the interviewer stepping out constantly or having to wait. These may be techniques by the interviewer to see how you cope with a stressful situation.

So tell yourself that this may be on purpose and take it that your reaction is being watched kind of like the whole being nice to the receptionist and the cleaner etc. Approach it like this: As soon as you get even near the building this is your interview- it also won't feel like your waiting - all of this part and parcel of your interview so to speak. It will calm you as you need to show that you are not put off by the interviewers leaving you wait. TBH tho' its more of a reflection on them than you. Time management and all that.

During the interview, concentrate, focus, listen to the questions and don't waffle. I think I do be too busy doing all this to be additionally nervous during the interview itself. Talk about things you know. That will give you confidence in itself, if you talk about stuff you don't know or lie, you just get nervous about the lie, relate your experience to the question thats all you can do. Interviewers also hate interviewing some may be just as nervous as you if it is their first interview etc.


I'm sure your just being way too hard on yourself anyway - 2nd interview is not easy to get to, and there is obviously a big interest in taking you on if you got to that stage. Best of Luck in the new job.

Doublin

Dambant wrote: »

Rescue remedy is great before an interview, it is great for calming you. you can get it in boots its only about 8 quid, get the spray one.

Hey, is this any good? Never heard of it but something like this would be helpful as I can't take any script meds for anxiety for other reasons.

black & white

IrishEyes19 wrote: »

OP, I find listening to music on the way over is good to relax.

@ Black and White, just out of interest, why do you refuse tea/water...ect....:)

2manyconditions explained it very well. I did a presentation to a company in Nenagh about 15 years ago (since closed down) and I was in the board room which had a polished dark wood conference table about the size of a snooker table. I accepted a cup of tea and the sugar was served in sachets. While opening the sachet, I spilled about half of the sugar across the table, To me, each grain looked about the size of a snooker ball and I couldn't think of anything else during the meeting, presentation didn't go great.

IrishEyes19

black & white wrote: »

2manyconditions explained it very well. I did a presentation to a company in Nenagh about 15 years ago (since closed down) and I was in the board room which had a polished dark wood conference table about the size of a snooker table. I accepted a cup of tea and the sugar was served in sachets. While opening the sachet, I spilled about half of the sugar across the table, To me, each grain looked about the size of a snooker ball and I couldn't think of anything else during the meeting, presentation didn't go great.

Nightmare, although would it not be rude to refuse or is it just simply a standard offer anyway. I never even thought that far into it.

black & white

I just say, "no thanks" or " had one before I came in". No one seems to have taken offence by it so far anyway.

28064212

IrishEyes19 wrote: »

Nightmare, although would it not be rude to refuse or is it just simply a standard offer anyway. I never even thought that far into it.

Certainly wouldn't be rude, I don't even drink tea or coffee. A simple "no thank you" is perfectly adequate and polite