By Shayna Rogoff, Account Executive
When you find out you got the interview, it is a pretty exciting feeling…then the nerves
settle in. Will they think you experienced enough? What should you wear? What if you
say ‘um’ too many times? The fact is, no matter how many times you go through the
interview process, it is still a nerve-racking experience. Walking into a new place with
new people and asking to be judged can be difficult! So how can you give yourself the
upper hand? Here are 5 ways to overcome the interview jitters:
- Do the research
Research the company and your interviewer as much as possible beforehand. When
setting up the interview, make sure to get the name (or names) of the people who you’ll
be interviewing with. Then use your internet stalking – Er I mean sleuthing…- skills to
get to know them. Getting to know your interviewer as a person can make them seem
less intimidating. This practice can also help you with talking points during the interview. Having a good grasp on the company and its mission is also important for answering interview questions like “Why do you want to work here?” or “why should we hire you?”
- Choose your look 24 hours in advance
Check the weather report and think about how you will wear your hair. Pick your outfit
out and try it on in a brightly lit room to make sure nothing is see-through or has stains.
If you typically twirl your hair when it’s down, wear it up to limit distractions. The key here is to plan every detail of your appearance out (and do a test run) to make sure you
are as comfortable and confident as possible.
- Workout the morning of the interview
If you can, get to the gym on the morning of the interview. Working out some of the
adrenaline and endorphins will help you be more grounded. When your body can
release the excess energy, your mind will relax and stay clear too!
- Don’t forget interviewing is a two-way street
Interviewing is a two-way street! This is just as much your chance to figure out if the
company is a good fit for you. Sometimes we know a lot of excitement about a
company and assume it will be our dream job, that we forget to interview them during
the interview too. Make sure you have thoughtful questions prepared to ask your
interviewer, and you keep an eye out for how the employees seem while walking around
the office. Too often, people get so focused on leaving a good impression on the
interviewer, then accept the job, and end up unhappy because they did not take the
time to interview the company.
- Avoid your cell phone and think positive
Do your best to stay off your phone for an hour before the interview, the last thing you
need is to get a text or see something that will irk you or get in your head. Once you
step into the company’s office doors, you will definitely want to stay off your phone and
use that time to be calm and give yourself a mental pep talk. Don’t worry about
reviewing your answers or talking points, just focus on what an awesome catch you are.
Your enthusiasm will be contagious!