How to decrease interview anxiety

I f an employer offers you an interview, the employer is definitely interested in your skills and what you can bring to their company. However, interview anxiety can easily hinder your chances of landing the job. This is a common occurrence. Recent data suggests that 93% of Americans have experienced interview anxiety at some point. To help you feel confident going into your interview, here are some tips to decrease interview anxiety.

Take Care of Yourself

While some interview anxiety is purely mental, some physical components can exacerbate the issue. Drinking caffeine, for example, can make you feel more anxious. To avoid drinking too much caffeine the day before the interview, make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before. In addition, moderate exercise and a proper diet can help you feel more confident.

Research the Company

You have likely already done some research to tailor your resume to the position you’re applying for. However, doing more research leading up to the interview can help with interview anxiety as well. Researching the company will help you to better understand what they’re looking for in your responses, making you feel more prepared. Be sure to look through the company website and social media profiles. You may also want to look at reviews. Some employees post their interview experiences on sites such as Glassdoor, including the interview questions and other helpful details.

Practice Answering Common Interview Questions

While you likely won’t be able to gauge the exact interview questions ahead of time, there are some common interview questions that many companies share. These include questions such as “What is your biggest weakness?” You’ll especially want to take difficult questions into account that may come off as intimidating in an interview setting, including “Tell me about yourself.” Companies will have specific answers they’re looking for even on open-ended questions, so you’ll want to research answers to guide your responses. To practice your responses, you may want to consider keeping a document of these common interview questions and tailor your responses to the company you’re applying for. Once you create this document, you can start practicing reading the questions aloud. Eventually, you’ll want to memorize at least the major points of these responses so you can recall them when you’re in the interview.

Photo by Shutterstock Relax yourself and focus on the interview.