“If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try” - Seth Godin
Interview is just like an exam , isn't it? It gives us the same chills which we had before appearing for board exams or final semester exams.These chills can ruin the entire game of getting selected after the interview because it leads to the lack of confidence. It is very natural for our minds to be anxious before any important thing we do, right? It is natural but we need to win over that situation and be confident during the interview. Being anxious or nervous are two very common symptoms seen in most of the job candidates. Being anxious or nervous might affect facial expressions, it can also result in unwanted and confusing hand gestures. Most candidates make mistakes in the initial minutes of the interview when the interviewer tries to ease the situation for the candidate but a nervous soul tends to take it as a serious conversation and messes it up right in the beginning. It is also seen that if candidates answer the first few questions wrong or don't answer them at all (due to nervousness) they tend not to answer any other questions correctly, inviting a pressure situation between the interviewer and interviewee. In these situations, the interviewer tends to ask more and more questions and the candidate gets confused. A confident interviewee increases the panel easily and creates higher chances of landing up in a job. One secret tip! Do not ever let your interviewer know that you are nervous. Keep every nervous feeling aside before entering the meeting link.
STATISTICS
- Almost 93 percent of candidates are anxious before interviews.
- 64 percent of candidates listen to music before interviews to calm themselves down.
- Different surveys mentioned that around 29 percent candidates are nervous before interviews.
- People are just 12 percent nervous when it comes to doctor or dentist visits. Which is less than the percentage of people getting nervous before interviews.
- The nervousness on a first date is also lesser than job interviews which is just 14 percent!
- It is noticed that people are most nervous during a public speaking event which is around 44 percent. Therefore , take this as a positive sign and win over tht 29 percent nervousness before a job interview. It ain’t a public speaking event.
- 41 percent candidates visualize good things or outcomes about the interview which in turn makes them feel good and kicks the nervousness away.
- 29 percent of people watch motivational videos or use mantras or chants to calm themselves down before an interview.
- 23 percent candidates meditate to make their mind feel good and move away from negative thoughts before an interview and gain peace of mind.
- 23 percent of people exercise before interviews to feel positive and active.
- 9 percent of people power pose.
- 6 percent people make a gratitude list to show gratitude towards people because of whom they are here, this gives confidence and winning over the desired position is ultimate thanks for them.
- 15 percent of candidates are stumped by employer’s questions.
- 14 percent of people come late for interviews, which in turn invites extra nervousness.
- 10 percent of candidates are not even prepared for the interview.
Why are we anxious before interviews?
It is very important to know the cause before entering into any solution to the problem.We are anxious or nervous before interviews because winning over that position in that particular company is important for us and we do not want to do anything to mess up with the situation. This feeling invites anxiety , mini panic attacks (not the serious ones) and nervous feelings which in turn ruin the chances of getting closer to the desired position in that company. Our mind thinks like this , which is normal but do not let that thought win over your mind!
Okay, let’s look into a simple trick to start with. Let us change the way we think about the same line as earlier in this paragraph. It was mentioned that we become nervous because getting the job is important for us and we don’t want to ruin the chances, right? Let us think the other way, let us think that, if we think too much, be nervous and anxious before the interview, we might end up losing the chances of getting hired, so we need to be confident enough to impress the panel and get closer to that dream job! Works? Same thing, different perspective!
Tips to overcome nervousness before online job interviews -
- Avoid reading notes - Don't go over notes over and over again, you might sound like a parrot who has learned everything and yes you might also end up getting more nervous.
- Everything will be fine - Kick out the thought of “what if?” What if I am not selected? These kinds of thoughts are extremely dangerous and replace positive thoughts with negative ones, and overthinking comes free with this. Things will go great!
- Don’t let nervousness come from shitty internet connections - Check your internet connection and keep another hotspot handy such that technical difficulty doesn’t invite nervousness
- Start preparing to enter the link before the time mentioned -Do not enter the meeting link just on time, we need time to open the website or the app , so preview, light checks and other things which might take time.
- Avoid Eating - Even if you are at home, it is advisable not to eat or drink anything during the interview.
- It’s just a conversation to hire you - Treat the process of the interview like a conversation, which is not too serious and not too casual. A conversation where we have to be decent yet it is okay not to be nervous.
- It’s just a bit professional - Treat it like a conversation with the panel, just the twist is, you answering their questions will drive the conversation further. Our mind thinks the way we let it think.
- When in doubt just power pose - Power posing might help too. Power posing is a posture in which a person stands which makes them feel powerful and confident.
- Music heals - Listen to music. Maybe music without lyrics would help. Soothing piano or flute or natural sounds audio helps us feel good and calm down.
- Yoga relieves stress - Doing a bit of relaxation meditation or Yoga, before the interview please. :)
- Eating too much might make you feel bloated- Do not eat too much before the interview, eat light and fresh, it makes us feel good.
- Forcing your mind won’t help - Most importantly, do not force yourself to calm down. It doesn't work.
- Take it easy - Take it easy, it is just an interview. If you think it is difficult, things will be difficult for you. Take deep breaths , if it helps to calm.
- Smile the pain away - Put that smile on your face, you will definitely get a good response from the panel and it will help ease the situation and you will feel like answering them.
- Move on smartly - Be confident from within, don’t force yourself, embrace the stress and move on from it slowly. You are your master , don’t let that stress rule you.
“I think it is healthy for a person to be nervous. It means you care.” - Beyonce Knowles
We can conclude by saying that being nervous is absolutely natural but letting it dominate the mind is not .Therefore ,Can we take a moment and have faith in ourselves? We are the best and we are fit for the position we are interviewing for! Give your best. Being nervous is a sign that something important is going to happen but do not let it dominate your mind. You are a fierce , confident and amazing soul, let not a nervous feeling take away the chances of getting hired.
REFERENCES
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