It may seem obvious, but the more you know, the less you'll panic. The more preparation you do, the more confidence you'll have. In this section we delve into one something almost all of us will experience at some point in our careers: interview nerves.
So where to start?
Do as much research as you possibly can on the company, the role and the hiring manager's. Start with the company website: here you'll probably find their corporate history, their structure, leadership, mission statement, values and press releases.
Be thoroughly practised and ready
Think about the possible questions you'll be asked and how you want to answer them. Format your own questions, making sure they are relevant. Practise, practise, practise! In front of a mirror if possible so that you can check your body language or have a friend take you through several dry runs. Speaking the words out loud helps immeasurably more than running them through your mind.
Be completely familiar with your CV and prepared for questions that could arise from it. Say, for example, you've mentioned on your CV that you led a team in a previous job. You could be asked about the easiest and most difficult aspects of that task. Be prepared to talk about problem solving (your biggest problem in particular), how you could have done better in hindsight and any gaps in your CV. Other things to prepare for are your motivations, expectations and long term career plan.
You could be asked about the easiest and most difficult aspects of that task. Be prepared to talk about problem solving (your biggest problem in particular), how you could have done better in hindsight and any gaps in your CV.
Be prepared to answer both 'what's your biggest weakness' as well as 'what's your greatest achievement. Make both relevant to the role. For your weakness, remaining honest, think carefully about the strengths necessary for the role and how those strengths could morph into weaknesses. For example, if confidence is needed for the role you might talk about how your confidence sometimes slips into arrogance.
For your greatest achievement, if the most important aspect of the job involves leading and motivating people, talking about finishing the marathon may not be the most relevant reply. Remember, your interviewer ultimately wants to know what you can do for the company.
Relieve stress
In the hours and minutes before an interview it helps to rely on your preferred methods of stress relief. Whether it's yoga, jogging, deep breathing exercises, meditation, or anything else, try to devote some time for decompression before your interview. When you are on your way to the interview, take deep, measured breaths and remain poised and focused.
Take care of yourself
As important as it is to be fully prepared, avoid spending too much time on last-minute preparations in the 24 hours before the interview. Have a good night's sleep, eat a light, nutritious meal, and take it easy in the last few hours before your scheduled meeting. By relaxing and focusing as much as possible before the interview, you'll be much more likely to tame and conquer your anxiety.
Finally
Finally, don't worry about having interview nerves to some degree. It's only natural to be apprehensive in an important situation. Nerves are healthy. What you want to avoid is debilitating fear, and if you're fully prepared, this shouldn't be an issue.
