Try These Tips to Handle Interview Nerves

Your cover letter and resume have landed you an interview for a job. Your experience is good, and you have the qualifications necessary to get it, but there's one problem, interview nerves. Feeling nervous is scarcely surprising considering your performance in the interview may determine whether you get the job. You're also not alone; virtually everyone gets nervous before a major interview, so how do you deal with it?

Getting over your interview nerves requires a little bit of thought about how the interview process works. You're not the only one under pressure; the interview panel is as well. If it makes the wrong choice, there are consequences, so the interviewers are nervous too. In addition, the pressure is also on the other candidates to prove they're the right choice; essentially, everyone suffers from interview nerves.

This leads to the next point: an interview is not like an exam. Why you might think of it that way, the idea is to be yourself and show you're what the company needs. In some cases, it could lead to a job offer in a slightly different department if the company believes you're capable. In other cases, it might simply be the generic "we don't think you're suitable for this role." Either way, you're not actually losing anything by not getting a job offer.

Depending on how the interview process works, it's your chance to shine. Think about the situations where you do your best. If it's group discussions, treat the interview as a group discussion. If you prefer to be the main act, give the best version of you at that time. Remember, it's natural to have interview nerves, so if you can get around them and function well, you show you're suitable for a high-stress position.

Don't forget that you can create a plan. There are certain things the panel wants to hear, such as your experience in managing people or how you've dealt with tricky situations. Make sure you can highlight these experiences in several ways. Reinforce the idea that you're the one most suitable for the job. By having a plan, you reduce the likelihood of interview nerves affecting your performance.

Finally, never compare yourself to other candidates. Focus on you and give an exemplary performance. Interview nerves can make you feel inadequate; most people have been there. However, you don't know how the panel is going to receive each person and the details of that person's resume. Consequently, you can't predict how the job interview is going to end for each person.

Having a job interview is merely another step in the process. While interview nerves can quickly show, remembering a few key points and making a good contingency plan can help to soothe your nerves and land that job.

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