Interview nerves are a not as bad as you think. They keep you on your toes and in the game. If you’re really struggling to feel confident about your graduate interviews, here are some interview tips to help.
Good interview preparation and some positive thinking can do wonders to reduce your stress levels and help you shine. And if you still struggle then; fake it till you make it! We all have to start somewhere!
Even Eminem got choke, it’s totally normal! Sweaty palms, weak knees, heavy arms, vomit on his sweater… yeah well try not to vomit on yourself in your interview. Aside from the vomit – it really is very normal to get interview nerves.
Here are some of our tips to help you beat those nerves and ace that job interview.
Remember to relax
Although some interview nerves and stress are good, they keep you performing at your peak, you want to come across as relaxed and confident rather than anxious. Chill the night before, you should have done all your interview preparation by now.
So put your feet up, take a long hot soak in the bath with a couple of episodes of something on Netflix – maybe swap out the glass of red wine that would be oh-so-nice for a cuppa t. Get a good nights sleep, and definitely make sure to have a hearty breakfast, even if you don’t feel mega hungry – get that brainfood in there – interviews are hungry work.
Interview Preparation
The first step to confidence is interview preparation. It begins with researching the organisation and ends with choosing your outfit (preferably the night before).
Know the company’s products, mission statement, culture and locations. Off the top of your head – easy peasy. Tell you Mum, your flat mate, your dog – anyone who will listen, you should be able to reel it out effortlessly without thinking!
Scrutinise the job description for clues as to what they are looking for. Research the person who is interviewing you, it might make them appear less daunting in the actual interview.
Research some interview questions and prepare answers to help you keep your calm, especially if you get some tricky questions. Don’t know what questions to expect, have a look at these 9 interview questions that can catch candidates out.
Use your careers service for job interview tips and practice
Take advantage of the careers services at your uni. You might even get free tea and biscuits! Oh as well as help you with your interview preparation… They are there to help you, so sign up for interview times or workshops.
You can even ask them for any specific job interview tips and insider knowledge on how a particular employer recruits their graduates and for any feedback from other students’ experiences.
Job interview tip 101: Timing – allow yourself a bit extra to save stress!
Figure out your route from home to the interview with time to spare (arriving a few minutes early) and prep your schedule so you are organised, we all know what public transport and traffic can be like… If you arriving early is definitely nicer than late. You do not need any unnecessary stress!
Get familiar with your CV / application form
It has served you well, you have an interview! Now, try to predict the potential questions that could be asked based on your CV. Prep some confident answers to those questions.
Any poor exam results or missing sections on your CV? Be prepared to defend those. Defend. Not outright lie, nothing too extravagant.
If in doubt take a copy of your application along with you, knowing you are not relying solely on your memory can help keep you calm. And worse case scenario, holding onto a piece of paper might stop you biting your nails or fidgeting.
Phone a friend
Insider knowledge is priceless, especially for any job interview tips. If you know anyone who works in your industry of interest, phone them and ask them about their role, what skills are needed and what sorts of interview questions might turn up.
Try running through a practice interview with a friends, roommate or careers adviser a few days before the real thing to help with you get confident in interview settings. Also practice interviews are an ideal time to try out your answers and to get some feedback before it counts.
Enter and exit confidently
Smile and give a firm handshake, confident and self-assured? Nailed it. They won’t know you’re bricking it! Once they main part of the interview is over, try asking a few strong questions before leaving, this can give them a positive lasting impression.
Lastly, don’t stress or worry. Just smile, take a deep breath and think: ‘whatever happens, it will be done soon.’ Also – the experience is invaluable!
Hopefully these interview tips will have sorted out your interview nerves and you nailed your interview with calm and confidence oozing from you. Now that you can nail interviews, then checkout Magnet.me and connect with companies that are looking for someone like you!