Over the past year, jobs have been in turmoil. Some of us were made redundant, some of us made pivots, some of us realized the jobs we had weren’t fulfilling us in meaningful ways.

Now you’ve got an interview for your dream job, but after being sequestered indoors and void of much human contact—unable to practice social and speaking skills we normally exercise daily—are you prepared?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 75% of people rank public speaking as their number one fear, whether it’s large groups or just one other person. Imagine the level of anxiety when it feels like your career is on the line?

Octavia Goredema, Career Coach and Founder of Twenty Ten Agency, and Ringo Nishioka, Founder of HR Nasty, offer some pointers on how to settle your nerves and prepare for your interview.

Separation is in the preparation

Do your homework. Interviews are generally 30 to 60 minutes. If you consider initial pleasantries and time for your own questions, that’s not a lot of time for interviewers to gather information. As a result, many ask similar questions.

Nishioka recommends doing internet searches for “10 most common interview questions,” and then looking for the top interview questions that pertain to your specific industry and position.

“Have full answers prepared,” he continues. “Most candidates have the first two sentences of their answers nailed. They have thought about the question, but they haven’t thought through the entire answer and it shows.”

Nishioka adds, “It’s OK to bring in notes you’ve prepared for your interview. Companies don’t think about this as ‘cheating.’”

Always do research before an interview. It’ll help you prepare, avoid nervous tangents, and give you confidence.

Practice leaning into your fears

Interviews are stressful. You’re walking into a meeting where the whole point is to be judged and evaluated. Who isn’t stressed out by that? The only thing worse is going in cold. Once you’ve done your homework, give your interview skills ample time to stretch.

According to Goredema, “Practice really helps, so if you can, ask a friend to help you complete a mock interview. This gives you time to prepare and practice your responses. Focus on the interview questions that scare you the most and ask your friend for honest feedback on how you responded.”

Additionally, Goredema says, “It’s also helpful to record yourself during the mock interview so you can review your body language afterward and make any necessary adjustments.” This is particularly pertinent these days with the likelihood of a virtual interview.

Use your research. The more times you can run through potential interview scenarios, the more prepared and relaxed you’ll be when it’s time for the real thing.

You’re not the only one who’s nervous

It’s easy to get so nervous heading into an interview that you forget even considering the person sitting across from you is nervous. Well, they are. If you make a mistake, don’t get down on yourself.

“Smile, take a breath, and just keep going,” says Goredema. “Remember, the interview process is stressful for the interviewer too. Every interview is a learning opportunity. No one gets called for an interview if they couldn’t do the role. So, if you make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world. Even the worst experiences can yield important learning opportunities. Treat the mistake as a stepping-stone. If you were nervous or couldn’t answer a key question, learn from the experience and you will be better equipped for your next interview. Assess what you can take from the situation and then apply those insights to your next job opportunity.”

Nishioka offers this tip, “The best way to recover from a bad interview is to send a follow-up note after the interview. Thank the interviewer for their time and add additional commentary on the answer that you don’t feel confident in.”

But how do you go about that? Nishioka says, “Your email can be as easy as: ‘You asked a great question and I went home to think about the response. On the way home from the interview, I realized I did know the answer / I omitted a thought / I wanted to correct what I said.’”

Remember, Nishioka adds, “Companies want to hire candidates who are going to continue to think about their problems, questions, and challenges after 5:00. Sending a follow-up, clarifying email can demonstrate not just common courtesy but business savvy and bail you out of a blown interview.”

Don’t get down on yourself. Perfect interviews are rare. There’s always something we feel we could have done better, something we remember after the fact. It happens. Use your mistake as an opportunity to create an advantage and maintain perspective–turn your mistake into a strength for your next interview.

Remember, they want you to be “The one”

Heading into an interview, do you consider your interviewer an adversary? Although hiring managers may initially view applications in terms of elimination, once they’ve narrowed down their search, they know you’re qualified and are hoping you’re the one.

As Nishioka reminds, “the hiring company wants to hire you as much as you want to be hired. The hiring company isn’t looking to decline you, they are hoping you are THE candidate. There is a big difference in how candidates show when they come in playing offense vs. playing defense. Playing offense can change the dynamic of the interview. Recruiters can smell fear like sharks smell blood.”

Also, remember the person who recruited you. Nishioka says, “Ask your recruiter for advice on what the interviewer is looking for. You are representing the recruiter and they are putting their reputation on your name. They can’t afford to send candidates the hiring manager won’t like into an interview room. The recruiter wants you to look good.”

Nishioka also suggests asking “the recruiter about dress code, directions, parking, etc. I like to ask ‘What is it about my resume that piqued your interest in my qualifications.’ When you know what it is they liked about your qualifications, you are taking the guesswork out of the interview.”

Interviewers don’t bite…usually. Having your guard up works both ways, they may not get to you, but you won’t get to them either. They’ll recognize that immediately. You have resources, use them.

While you’re at it, take the beverage

If you’re playing defensive, you’re soaking up all the inconvenience in a situation. That is exhausting and only adds to your nerves! Create space for yourself.

“If you are offered a beverage before the interview, accept it,” suggests Nishioka. “Folks that are nervous don’t want to put the hiring company out, so they decline. Accepting the beverage telegraphs that you are comfortable in the environment and the interview. If you are asked a question that you need a second to think about, take a drink of water before answering the questions. Use sips of water to control nervousness and the pace of the interview.”

Having something in your hands can be a stabilizing force or keep you from unconscious fidgeting. A drink of water can also “reset” you if you feel you’ve made a mistake, allowing a moment to gather yourself.

Does this thing have an “Off” button?

Job hunting is stressful, and stress compounds. When this happens, you might need to step away for a bit. Eat something that makes you happy, play an online game with friends, go running, whatever helps you decompress and rejuvenate.

“If you’re feeling stressed, take a break and switch off for a while,” urges Goredema. “Make time to do something you enjoy, get some rest, and then get back to your job search when you’re feeling calmer. If you’re anxious to land a new job and it’s proving tough, hang in there. It will happen. Take control of your time if you’re waiting for feedback on applications or calls to interview. Stay up to date on your industry, read a great book, listen to an inspiring podcast, work on your professional development, update a list of people you’d like to connect with, while you work on finding your next role. If you keep taking action, and keep moving in the right direction, it will pay off.”

Sometimes, the best way forward is to take a step back. It’s good to have high expectations for yourself, but job hunting/interviews are already stressful, there’s no need to add more by not recognizing when you need a moment.

If you remember to research, practice, maintain perspective, listen to your feelings, and stay active, you’ll be prepared. Who knows, maybe you’ll even begin enjoying interviews?

Arianna O'Dell

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