January 16, 2023 | Posted in Career, job search | By

If you’re anything like most people, the idea of sitting through an in-depth job interview can be nerve-wracking. These days, competition for jobs is fierce and many candidates are so overqualified that they’re not even getting callbacks.

The stress of searching for a job can be enough to give anyone anxiety – and if you throw in stress about the upcoming interview, things can get downright terrifying. But why should you care about reducing stress before your job interview?

Let’s take a look at some practical ways to prepare for the big day.

Be prepared for the job interview

It’s a good idea to do a little research ahead of time on the company you’re interviewing with. Find out a bit about the company culture, what their priorities are, and what type of employees they generally go for. This will help you to prepare a little more efficiently and show that you’re interested in what the company has to offer. Find out as much as you can about the job itself.

While it’s understandable to be excited about the job at hand, you should also be excited about your own abilities. Don’t forget that you may be the one on the other end of the interview table, so you’d want to be as prepared as possible to answer any questions they might have.

Eat a healthy breakfast

Eat a good breakfast the morning of your interview. This will help sustain your energy especially if you will be meeting with multiple people throughout the day. This also will help with any brain fog or fatigue you may experience which will also add to any additional stress you may be feeling. A simple way to eat healthy is to incorporate complex carbs like cereals, bread, or fruit to get your start.

Breathe before the interview

It can be easy to get so focused on the interview that you forget to take a moment to breathe resulting in anxiety and stress. If you allow yourself to pause for a moment, you may be better able to focus on your interview and the questions being ask of you. Try breathing slowly, counting for a couple seconds and then allowing yourself to be relaxed.

Talk about your strengths and weaknesses

One of the easiest ways to show that you’re interested in the job ahead is to discuss your strengths and weaknesses. This can be done with a little tact, and if you’re careful, you can do it in a way that won’t come off as too pushy. The interviewer wants to know as much about you as they can, as they want to make sure that they’re hiring the right person for the job. By discussing your strengths and weaknesses, the interviewer is able to get an idea of what you’re like without you even realizing it.

Don’t multi-task

Try not multi-tasking during a job interview. You may be tempted to try to do two or three things at once, but this will leave you so unfocused that you’ll forget what you were originally doing. During your job interview, focus on one thing at a time and one question at a time, don’t be afraid to check your notes for reference and to take notes for future questions.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

Asking questions is a great way to show that you’re interested in the job and what the company does. It shows that you’re interested in the job, not just the salary or benefits. Interview questions can also show the interviewer what type of person you are: curious, open-minded, and willing to learn. Prepare in advance with well thought out questions for the interviewer.

When you’re at the interview, try to keep the following in mind:

  • Don’t ask questions that are already answered on the company website or in the job description.
  • Don’t ask questions that sound like “show me what you can do.”
  • Don’t ask questions that are basic or too basic.
  • Make sure you’re asking questions that show that you’re interested in the company, the job, and your career in general.

Stop complaining and be proactive

This may be a little obvious, but it’s important to remember that you have more control than you may think. There’s no reason to let other people’s lack of interest in you or your skills steer the course of your job search. You may find that certain companies aren’t the right fit for you, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to find a position elsewhere. Job searching isn’t easy, but it also doesn’t have to be stressful. By taking a few simple steps to reduce stress before your job interview, you can make the process a little easier and a little less scary.

More about Bernie…

Senior Director, Consumer Media Group at Confluent Health – Growth marketing focus on brand awareness, interest and new patient acquisition to our 44+ partner brands and 530+ locations across the US. Accountable for driving yearly business results supported by our consumer strategy and direct-to-consumer roadmaps. The Media team is responsible for owned and paid media as it relates to performance marketing, campaign management, partnerships, website development & support, search engine optimization, relationship marketing, Yext (Google My Business) support, recruiting, email marketing and supporting our partners at the local level.

Chief Cheese – Strategy & Engagement at B2The7 – Helping brands Reach, Retain & Regain customers with Omni-Channel data-driven strategies and tactics that focus on increasing sales, transactions, comps and customer engagement.

B2The7 Photography – Sharing experiences with photography: nature, landscapes, sunsets, flowers, animals and more.

Helping job seekers & recruiters daily…Founder of Careerbarn.com – Bringing jobseekers and employers together since 2000.