How to keep calm during an interview?

bambera

I had an interview last week and felt confident and prepared going in to it, but as soon as the interviewers asked the first question I started to panic. I got extremely nervous and I think that my voice was shaky the whole way through. I feel the only thing that saved me was the research I had done about the company before hand and using it to asking different things about the job.

Coming out of the interview I felt disappointed with myself but was surprised when I got called back for a second interview.

In one way I feel this is a chance to redeem myself from the mistakes I made in the first but then I start to panic because I'm wondering what they could ask that they didn't ask in the first and I'm not sure how to prepare myself this time round.

My question is, how would other people stop nerves from taking over and do you take anything (herbal remedies, nothing illegal) to help relax the nerves before hand?

orchidsrpretty

I suffer really badly from interview nerves too. Haven't found anything to stop it myself no matter how prepared I am going in though. My friend swears by resuce remedy, its comes in a little bottle and you put some on your tounge.

Procrastastudy

bambera wrote: »

I had an interview last week and felt confident and prepared going in to it, but as soon as the interviewers asked the first question I started to panic. I got extremely nervous and I think that my voice was shaky the whole way through. I feel the only thing that saved me was the research I had done about the company before hand and using it to asking different things about the job.

Coming out of the interview I felt disappointed with myself but was surprised when I got called back for a second interview.

In one way I feel this is a chance to redeem myself from the mistakes I made in the first but then I start to panic because I'm wondering what they could ask that they didn't ask in the first and I'm not sure how to prepare myself this time round.

My question is, how would other people stop nerves from taking over and do you take anything (herbal remedies, nothing illegal) to help relax the nerves before hand?

Most interviewers look past nerves. I didn't but then I was interviewing sales people. My boss used to pull me up on it when ever we interviewed together so as I say bear in mind most interviewers understand. That will clam you down but it also happens to be true.

Tigger

go to gp exaggerate symptoms
get xanax
profit

srsly this is how i relaunched myself
12 little pill and i can accross as confident and self assured

i'd previously failed about 8 interviews by stuttering and stammering my way through

Mr. Loverman

Tigger wrote: »

get xanax

I agree with this.

I have never taken them myself, but I know some people who have, and they say xanax stops you from feeling any sort of negative emotion.

Of course, it goes without saying they should be use sparingly as they are addictive.

bambera

Thanks guys.

I think I'll try the rescue remedy tonight and see how I feel while I am studying for the interview.

As for the xanax, I think that would make me a little too relaxed!
(Have visions of myself sitting there with my mouth hanging open and a line of drool running down my face)

Mr. Loverman

I think xanax just stops negative emotions and thoughts from flaring up. I don't think it dopes you.

Eoin

bambera, obviously talk to a doctor without exaggerating your symptoms and they'll advise you.

I'd be surprised if there aren't any ideas that don't involve prescription drugs that people can share though.

Kathnora

I have been reading up a bit on Bach's Rescue Remedy. Some people swear by it for calming the nerves before a driving test for instance. Any views on its use before interviews? Effective or merely a placebo effect?

petersburg2002

I worked in a call centre once, very stressful. 5-10 mg of Xanax worked wonders. Good as a short term measure.

starlit

If you have prepared well you should be ok but last minute nerves do get the better of people. Have a good night's sleep, go to bed early, get up refreshed and ready for what ever may hold at the interview be prepared for any kind of question! Have a good breakfast, drink lots of water, be well rested and breath.

Deep breaths! Can really help calm the nerves before going for an interview. It's a case of fight or flight what you do you fight so basically it be a bad sign if you didn't have a bit of nerves being over confident can make you answer questions badly so be confident, be yourself and try to settle the nerves once you get started at the interview the nerves will go! The relief be great once you have it done and over with. Give it your best shot! Best of luck!

javarlz

the best, and probably only, way of being more relaxed during interviews is practice.
If you'r not really experienced on this, you'r gonna be nervous for sure! Don't worry, they understand it and that's why you'v got invited for a second interview.
Go for many interviews, at some point you'll be really confident and relaxed. Even because mostly they are all the same
A good preparation of course also helps, if you are confident with your skills and have done a good preparation around different kind of questions you won't get that nervous at the interview.

Bear in mind that's common to be nervous at the beginning, but after the ice breaking you get more relaxed and everything goes fine

Best of luck!

RainMaker

Try to think of the interview as a 2 way street - you are there to interview them as well! I mean you might not like the job on offer/the company/the people - but you won't know this until after doing an interview anyway - so see it as an opportunity to see if what they are offering is what you want, so don't be afraid to ask questions yourself!

Even if it is a job you really want, asking some questions about the company, work environment or job specific questions will help take the pressure off you and make them talk for a while instead

Zeek12

RainMaker wrote: »

Try to think of the interview as a 2 way street - you are there to interview them as well! I mean you might not like the job on offer/the company/the people - but you won't know this until after doing an interview anyway - so see it as an opportunity to see if what they are offering is what you want, so don't be afraid to ask questions yourself!

Very good point. Remember, the interviewer does'nt want you to fail. He/she most likely wants you to impress! You could be the solution to their problem - how to fill this vacant position. I have a friend who is Head Of Department in his company, and he often has to interview job applicants. He often moans about the long and tedious process of sitting through multiple interviews. Generally, interviewers don't want to sit through too many of these. They want to find a suitable applicant as soon as they can so they can go back to work:)

And a small bit of nerves can be a good thing - it shows the interviewer you genuinely want this position. It's better than going in too relaxed and coming across as arrogant!

fasttalkerchat

Research yourself as well as the company.

T-K-O

If you are out of work you need to practice. I did this by applying for lots jobs that I wasn't that interested in. Like everything, the more time you experience that situation the better you become.

Know your CV inside out - Do not lie on the CV that will make you nervous. Know the company and the job and more importantly how your skills apply to the position in question.

fasttalkerchat

T-K-O wrote: »

If you are out of work you need to practice. I did this by applying for lots jobs that I wasn't that interested in. Like everything, the more time you experience that situation the better you become.

There is a limit to this. If you get rejected from a few interviews and walk straight into an important one it gets very dry and monotone.

Pulsating Star

orchidsrpretty wrote: »

My friend swears by resuce remedy, its comes in a little bottle and you put some on your tounge.

I use it as well, for interviews only. Even if it's only a placebo, it works for me and that's all that matters. I do not use it in any other situation ,only ten mins. or so before going in and I take a good swig not trusting to a few drops:)

You are obviously comming across alright if getting callbacks so have faith in yourself OP.