Are you nervous for an upcoming job interview? Well first things first, don’t feel like you’re the only one! Nervousness in interviews is completely normal - 93% of candidates experience job interview anxiety.

There are steps you can take beforehand to minimize your nerves. Preparing for an interview is of course key. Do your research about the company you’re interviewing with, plan for typical interview questions, think of good questions to ask in an interview (for inspiration, see our blog post here) and practice. Pre-interview prep will help you to feel ready when the time comes.

But sometimes, no matter how much you’ve prepared, you still find yourself shaky and panicky during the interview. So what can you do during the interview itself to stay calm? We’ve put together these interview tips for keeping a cool head.

Breathing techniques

Right before you go into your interview, practice a breathing technique to calm yourself down and get in the right headspace. There are a lot of techniques out there, but a good go-to is the 4-7-8 technique. This technique forces your mind and body to focus on regulating your breath rather than on your interview anxiety, and will slow down your racing heart. It brings your body into a more relaxed state, which will help you to stay calm in the interview. 

To do the 4-7-8 technique, follow these steps in the cycle of one breath:

1. Inhale through your nose for 4 counts.

2. Hold your breath for 7 counts.

3. Exhale through your mouth for 8 counts.

To explore other breathing techniques, whether to handle interview anxiety or to deal with general stress, follow this link. 

Take your time

Don’t feel like you need to rush to get everything you want to say out as quickly as possible! This will make you feel under even more pressure. Remember that this is a conversation not a race. Take your time to think about your answers, and don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat the question if you want more time to think. 

Focus on one question at a time

It can be overwhelming to think about all the information you want to get through in your job interview to make sure that the interviewer knows exactly what you have to offer. It’s all too easy to start to panic at the thought of missing important stuff out. As with everything in life, it’s easier and kinder to yourself to take it one thing at a time. Focus on one question at a time, putting your energy into answering the current question rather than trying to predict the next 5 and plan exactly what you’ll say. 

Have a positive mantra in mind

Whether or not you believe in things like manifestation and the law of attraction, there’s certainly something to be said for thinking positive thoughts! Keep a positive mantra in mind during your interview: remind yourself that you have prepared, you deserve the job, and that things will work out even if this doesn’t turn out to be the job for you. 

It can feel a bit silly just thinking positive things at yourself, but there is actually a science behind positive affirmations! Studies have found the positive affirmations can decrease stress and help you to perceive ‘threatening’ situations with less resistance.

In fact, positive affirmations and mantras are worth incorporating in your everyday life to generally reduce your stress and anxiety, as well as specifically in the context of your job interview. 

Remind yourself of your resilience

You’ve been through tough situations before. You have made it out. Your job interview is no different. As stressful as it can be, afterwards it will be over and you will be okay. And if this job interview doesn’t end up working out, that’s okay too. It will just help to build your resilience, which will in turn help you to handle the next interview! 

Interview anxiety is a horrible feeling, but it’s also completely normal. Keep these interview tips in mind and you will be able to manage the nerves, keep your cool and land that dream job!