It’s normal to feel nervous before a job interview. But when those nerves start to impact your interview performance, it’s time to learn how to get rid of interview nerves once and for all.
Here’s how to get rid of your interview nerves and crush your next job interview:
Honesty, Interview Prep, And Connection
@j.t.odonnell Replying to @erica__007 How to get rid of interview nerves. #interviewquestions#interview#interviewtips#jobsearchtips#jobinterviewtips#interviewhelp#interviewprep#careertok#careeradvice#jobsearch♬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell
1. Be honest about your interview nerves.
First of all, it is okay to let the hiring manager know you’re nervous. It’s okay to be honest with them. But when you let the hiring manager know you’re nervous, make sure you do it with a smile because that’s going to set the tone for the interview.
If your interview nerves have the potential to ruin the job interview, when you sit down with the hiring manager, smile at them, take a deep breath, and say, “I just want to let you know that I am nervous for this interview, so I may not answer every question as smoothly as I want to, but it’s because I’m excited about the job opportunity.”
2. Focus on interview prep.
Keep your facial expressions and body language in mind. People hear what they see, especially in an interview. So the next tip I recommend to get rid of your interview nerves is to work on your interview prep.
Mock interviews are a great way to not only practice your answers to interview questions but also work on your body language and facial expressions. Remember to sit up tall and lean in a little bit. Remember to smile. Remember to make appropriate eye contact.
I often tell clients who are struggling with interview nerves to wear a ring or watch or another piece of jewelry on a different finger or wrist so that every time they see it in the interview, it triggers them to remember the body language tips above.
Interview prep is one of the best ways to get rid of interview nerves because it helps to instill confidence in your interview abilities and qualifications for the job. Body language and facial expressions are just as important as your interview answers, and interview prep can help you practice both.
3. Realize the interview is all about making a connection.
Sometimes the easiest way to get rid of interview nerves is to change your mindset. Before your next job interview, tell yourself: “I’m excited. This is about making a connection today. This is about me starting the process of getting to know this employer.”
The interview isn’t an all-or-nothing situation. You’re learning. You’re growing. You’re doing your best. And you’re at the job interview to make a connection and share your answers. The person who’s interviewing you could be a potential colleague one day. How would you act if you were simply having coffee with them?
When you change your interview mindset to focus on connection and excitement instead of worst-case scenarios, your interview nerves will subside. A shift in your mindset will prevent you from psyching yourself out in the job interview, going in with that serious attitude, serious body language, and serious facial expressions. It’s also going to help you answer interview questions with more positivity and enthusiasm, the perfect combination for connection.
The next time you’re experiencing bad interview nerves, remember these three things: honesty, interview prep, and connection. And before you know it, your interview nerves will all but disappear!
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