Interviewing Anxiety: Ways to Squelch Your Nerves
by Jennifer Sedna
NelsonJobs Contributing Writer
Calm nerves will boost your confidence
Are you sleepless the night before that big interview? Assuming you have done basic interview preparation, you can further reduce your jitters by learning and practicing the exercises discussed here. Used by experts, you can implement these techniques in tomorrow’s interview—or for any other anxiety-ridden event—to help calm your nerves and boost your confidence.
Practice answers out loud
It may seem silly or embarrassing, but role-playing an interview with a friend, colleague, or partner may be the best way to prepare for your interview. Why? You don’t truly know how you will answer a question until you actually verbalize it. It’s during this practice that you’re able to start over on a question that you didn’t have a stellar answer to.
You can have your mock interviewer ask common interview questions, as well as questions you’re not expecting. If you can’t find someone to practice with, or are too embarrassed, practice in a room by yourself without distractions. Make sure to answer out loud, since this is when you will become aware of your weaknesses. In his book Public Speaking for Private People, television and radio star, Art Linkletter, greatly emphasizes the importance of practice, calling it the “key element” in preparing to talk in front of an individual or a group.
Talking out loud will help you practice breathing deeply and calmly (see below). Also, when you are asked the same, or similar, questions in the interview, you will have a better memory of the important points you wanted to bring up.
Visualize your confident self
How did Lance Armstrong win the Tour de France race seven consecutive times? Like any Olympic-level athlete, he visualized the race and his performance in it before the big day. Interviewing is very much performance based, and like the Olympics, you only get one chance to win the gold.
Even though you may not know what the interviewer(s) looks like, or the room it’s in, you can visualize your physical, emotional and mental state. “The stronger and more realistically detailed you make your visualizations, the better chance you have of succeeding” says Soni Pitts, author of the free e-book 50 Ways to Reach Your Goal.
First, find a quiet, comfortable place where you can lay or sit down. Then, relax your body and try to clear your mind. Picture a faceless interviewer (unless you know what he or she looks like) asking questions, and see yourself responding with answers that you have practiced.
In The Science of Mind, Ernest Holmes also stresses the importance of picturing, to the very last detail, what you want to achieve. You can do this by keying into each of your senses. Visualize exactly what your face, voice and body are doing when you are calm. Hear, in your mind, what your voice sounds like when it slows down to answer confidently. See the colors of the outfit you’re wearing. Feel your heart beating at a normal rate and your body movements remaining controlled and relaxed. Then, to be prepared for the unexpected, see the same detailed image of yourself while being asked questions that are new and challenging.
You can even picture yourself negotiating salary and your start date so that if it’s a job you want, you’re prepared to get it on your terms!
Vocalize to make people listen
Any seasoned orator, or public speaker, will tell you that one of their basic techniques for preparing a speech is to warm up their voice. Think of what grabs your attention when someone is talking. Does a quiet, nervous voice make you pay attention or a louder and deeper one?
If you’re still not convinced it’s that important, consider this: “Authorities…say that…the voice (sound not content) carries nearly 40% of the speakers real message.” says Jeff Scott Cook, author of The Elements of Speechwriting and Public Speaking.
Since vocal cords are a muscle, you must warm up your voice in order to project the best sound. The first step is to take deep breaths from your stomach and to expand your lungs to their full capacity. You should actually be able to see both your lower stomach and ribs move. Next, hum at different octaves with your mouth open using a “mah” sound. Finally, vocal scales can be used—including Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do—or, you can create your own, making sure your pitch increases as you progress through the scale.
The best opportunity you have for warming up your voice is in the car on the way to the interview. You’re by yourself, preventing any feelings of embarrassment, you can be as loud as necessary, and your voice will be ready for optimum performance by the time you reach your destination!
If you are reading this the day before the interview:
- Take an hour to formulate and write down your answers to common interview questions.
- Practice answering common questions out loud in a mirror, or with a friend,
for at least 30 minutes.
- Spend 10-20 minutes visualizing your composure and exactly what you
want to achieve.
- Go to sleep early the night before, and eat a healthy breakfast to help
calm your butterflies.
- The day of, start to warm up your voice while getting dressed and driving
to the interview.
With these tools in your belt, you will sound and look as confident as you feel!