Banish Interview Anxiety With These Tried-And-True Tricks

Banish Interview Anxiety With These Tried-And-True TricksBanish Interview Anxiety With These Tried-And-True TricksBanish Interview Anxiety With These Tried-And-True TricksDont let vorstellungsgesprch jitters get the best of you. Heres how to prepare and overcome your fears. TWEETFor most people, landing an interview is as nerve-wracking as it is exciting. At some point after the initial thrill wears off, theres a good chance that youll abflug to feel a little nervous. But dont worry with the right preparation, it is possible to calm your nerves and ace that interview. Next time, consider these recommendations to prepare yourself for success both physically and mentally.Practice makes perfect.Although its not possible to predict exactly what youll be asked, most interviewers do rely on some old favorite questions. After all, what interviewee has never been asked to talk about their strengths and weaknesses or to tell the interviewer a little bit about themselves?Ideally, you should already know how youll answer questions like these when you go into your interview. However, you dont want to sound too well-rehearsed, as though youre reciting your answers from memory. In other words, the challenge is to be prepared, but not sound too prepared. The best way to accomplish this is to jot down a couple of talking points for each potential interview question, and then practice the general ideas you want to discuss rather than memorizing specific phrases. You might want to dig out some index cards to quiz yourself, writing the interview question on one side and your talking points on the other.When you feel like you have your talking points down, ask a friend to give you a mock interview by reading the questions on the cards at random. Give each answer as though you were in a real interview. Practice using this mock interviewing technique until you feel confident and well-prepared, but not so long that you start to sound like a broken record.Bring what youll needWhenev er you interview, you should always bring three things, at a minimum something to write with, something to write on, and at least one copy of the same resume you used to apply for the position. However, its also a great idea to bring any other notes that you might find helpful. Having the information you need at your fingertips can help you to reduce interview anxiety and feel more confident, even if you dont need to refer to it.Here are some examples of written notes or materials you might want to bring alongA brief summary of your background research about the company.Specific ideas you have for addressing the unique challenges of the position.A list of questions you would like to ask during the interview.It might be tempting to bring a lot of extra information for example, a list of the talking points you came up with for common interview questions but sticking to the basics will help you to find the information youre looking for when you need it.You might also find it helpful to use a highlighter or colored pen to mark specific details in your resume that you want to bring up for example, the accomplishments that you are most proud of or the job title(s) that are most relevant to the position youre interviewing for.Dont leave anything to chanceThere are a lot of things that could go wrong on the day of your interview, but the good nachrichten is that you can avoid many of these potential problems by planning ahead. As soon as you schedule your interview, begin working out the details in order to maximize your chances of success. Once the logistics are covered, youll be able to focus on the interview itself rather than worrying about what might go wrong.Start by getting your outfit ready especially if you havent interviewed in a while. Try the whole outfit on and make sure you can stand, walk, sit, and bend comfortably. Make sure it is clean and free of wrinkles and odors, and store it safely in a location where it will stay that way.Next, make sure you know where youre going and how to get there. If possible, go to the location a day or two before the interview to see what the building looks like and figure out where you can park. Make sure to leave plenty of time in case you get lost, get caught in traffic, or cant find parking.Take care of your bodyJob interview preparation is almost as grueling physically as it is mentally. Stress often manifests in physical ways, but you can take steps to prevent these effects.The night before your interview, try to pamper yourself. Consider taking a nice hot bath, listening to music, or drinking tea. Think about what helps you to relax and try to incorporate this into your interview preparation routine.No matter what, make sure to get a good nights sleep. Not only will this help you to look your best, it will help to keep you mentally sharp and allow you to think more clearly and speak more eloquently. When you wake up on the big day, make sure to eat a hearty breakfast with plenty of polype ptid to keep you going strong.MeditateThe word meditation might bring to mind images of monks kneeling for hours at a time. But meditation doesnt require any special equipment or hours of focus, and you dont have to be a monk in order to experience the benefits of meditating.Meditation is a great way to clear your mind and calm your nerves. There are many ways to practice meditation, and no right or wrong way to do it. If youve never meditated before, try these stepsFind a quiet, relaxing spot where you wont be interrupted. Some people find an outdoor location to be ideal, but you can meditate inside, too.When youre seated comfortably, close your eyes and begin to focus on your breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose, hold your breath for a moment, and then breathe out slowly through your mouth. You might find it easier to focus on your breathing if you count each inhale and exhale, or you might prefer to just maintain awareness of your breath. Let go of any distracting thoughts , feelings, or worries and just focus on your breath.After a few minutes or so, you should begin to feel calmer and less nervous. Once you feel that your mind is clear, you might wish to spend some time visualizing positive outcomes, such as having a great interview experience or receiving a job offer.Meditation can be a helpful tool for calming your mind before an interview, but it has also been shown to have powerful long-term benefits when practiced regularly.Hire a TopResume writer to help you land more interviews, faster.Related Articles

Self-Assessment Are You a Leader By Nature or Nurture

Self-Assessment Are You a Leader By Nature or NurtureSelf-Assessment Are You a Leader By Nature or NurtureYur answer to this question and two others may determine your long-term success.Dave is a CEO of an Internet startup that failed to get funding, and hes got to find something else to do. But hes so focused on his failure that hes having a hard time seeing what talents and skills he could leverage. Something invisible but crucial is standing in his way - his mental model. Let me explain what I mean.Carol Dweck is a professor of psychology at Stanford who studies why some people succeed and others fail. What shes discovered At a young age, people develop beliefs that organize their world and give meaning to their experiences. These mental models determine the goals we pursue and the ways we go about achieving them.1. Fixed mind-setIntelligence is static and leads to a desire to look smart and therefore a tendency toAvoid challengesGive up easily when faced with an obstacleSee eff ort as fruitless or worseIgnore useful negative criticismFeel threatened by the success of othersAs a result, may plateau early and achieve less than full potential2. Growth mind-setIntelligence can be developed and leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency toEmbrace challengesPersist in the face of setbacksSee effort as a path to masteryLearn from criticismFind lessons and inspiration in the success of othersAs a result, reach ever-higher levels of achievementWhen someone like Dave, with a fixed mind-set, fails at something, they believe the situation is out of their control and nothing can be done.They lose faith in their ability to perform. They shrink previous successes and inflate failures. They give up.Those with a growth orientation do not see failure as an indictment of their capacity. For those folks, a problem is just an opportunity to learn new things. Their attention is on finding strategies for learning. When they blow it or meet an obstacle, they realize that they just havent found the right strategy yet. They dig in and make optimistic predictions The harder it gets, the harder I need to try. I need to remember what I already know about this. Ill get this soon.Two questions can determine failure or successThese mind-sets can powerfully affect our career trajectories. One of Dwecks research studies was with Chinese students in Hong Kong who were given the opportunity to learn English, which in the long run would increase their ability to get good jobs. The students with the fixed mind-set turned down the opportunity because they knew it was hard. But the students with the growth mind-set said, Sure, Ill do it e ven if I dont do well, Ill grow my capacity.She also discovered that extremely highly paid athletes with a fixed mind-set often dont do well on a team. They decide they dont need to practice because they are so good, and they flame out.Want further proof that success comes from accepting that you will make mistakes and you have the ability to learn from them?Would-be neurosurgeons were studied to determine who would succeed and who would fail. The researcher discovered that the answer came down to how they responded to the following two questionsDo you ever make mistakes?If so, what is the worst mistake you ever made?Those who flunked out claimed never to make mistakes or attributed any error to things beyond their control. Successful neurosurgical students admitted to many mistakes and described what they had learned about avoiding them in the future.Dwecks research offers powerful evidence that when it comes to moving through the challenges of a job search and career change, we need a growth mind-set. When we see our minds as capable of learning and life as a chance to grow, then everything we do is grist for the mill. We dont give up when we experience setbacks but learn what we can from the experience and begin again, wiser.Your attention is focused on the question, How can I use the constraints and c hallenges Im facing to grow my own capacity?Where do these orientations come from? It turns out that it has to do with whether you think intelligence is fixed - youre born as smart as youll ever be - or changeable - you can get smarter throughout life. When provided with evidence that the brain can grow new pathways, fixed-oriented freshman college students on the verge of dropping out switched to a growth orientation and graduated.What about you?In working with hundreds of executives, Ive found that many of us have a growth orientation in some of these attributes and not in others. Each person is different based on his early history. For instance, Ive got no trouble with the first three or the last one. Im still working on seeing mistakes as learning opportunities. There continues to be a voice of perfectionism inside me that panics when I find Ive made an error, although its much softer than it used to be. And I still have trouble seeking out feedback because Im afraid it will be negative. But Im working on it Ive gotten much better at feeling the discomfort and asking for input anyway.Looking at the list, is your mind-set a growth or fixed one? Which of these are easy? Difficult? Try to notice without beating yourself up. That just interferes with a growth mind-set because it reinforces the belief that you should know everything already.After all, even know-it-alls dont know it all. And accepting this premise is the key to success.

The Negative Impact That Growing Up Digital Has Had on Communication

The Negative Impact That Growing Up Digital Has Had on Communication The Negative Impact That Growing Up Digital Has Had on Communication Millennials have a stronger connection with technology than any previous generation. It makes sensethat they would They grew up alongside the internet and smartphones. Experts in all things digital, millennials have certain advantages when it comes to adopting and deploying the latest workplace technologies to drive results.However, the millennial affinity for technology may also be the source of what many deem to be this generations greatest weakness poor communication skills. Many older professionals who work with millennials leide that the members of this generation seem to be lacking when it comes to face-to-face interaction, making eye contact, and communicating with tact.While the effects of technology on communication skills may be most evident in millennials who grew up with tech, other generations are not immune. Even those who did not g row up digital have started to see their communication skills slip as technology becomes mora pervasive in every aspect of our lives.Heres what you need to know about the negative impact the digital world can have on your communication1. Your Ability to Make Eye Contact SuffersA little more than half of millennials report experiencing some form of anxiety if they dont have their phones on them, and people across generations check their phones 80 times a day on average. Part of the reason why were so anchored to our phones is that receiving emails and social media notifications actually releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel good, in our brains.Given thissort of phone addiction, its not surprising that many millennials (and others) struggle to make and sustain eye contact. The discomfort one experiences when separated from their device is real.Being able to make eye contact helps establish connections and trust with other people.If you struggle with eye contact, itc ould have a devastating impact on your professional life. Try going to dinner with a friend and keeping your phone off the table.Challenge yourself to make it through the meal without checking your phone once.2. Youre Shying Away From Face-to-Face ConversationsA recent studyfound thatrequests delivered in person are 34 times more likely to result in positive outcomes than requests sent via email.To make meetings as successful as possible, keep your digital device off the table. It may behard to imagine going into a meeting without having your device handy, but unless you are expecting important information that will impact the outcome of your meeting, theres no need to checkyour phone or tablet until the meeting is over. Checking your device not only takes your focus away from the topic at hand, but it also sends a message toother people in the roomthat they are not worthy of your full attention. Basically, checking your digital device during a meeting can negate all the positive ef fects of having a face-to-face meeting in the first place.3. Youre Less Comfortable With Nondigital ConversationsWhen most of your communications are virtual, two things happen Youget used to being in a constant state of control, and you lose your ability tobe vulnerable.With texting and email, you can edit and tweak your message until youre ready to hit send. This pattern of communication makes it hard to let your guard down during a conversation. Vulnerability starts to feel foreign and even scary. You might not think vulnerabilitymatters in the workplace, but it can actually help you become a much better leader.4. Youre Shielding Yourself From Both Conflict and Conflict ResolutionMillennials avoid phone calls. Why? Because theyre less likely to run into conflict if they use texting and email instead. This aversion to conflict, while understandable, may also be harmingconflict resolution skillsin younger generations. When conflicts inevitably do arise - and they will - younger w orkers may not be able to handle them effectively. That could be disastrous in a professional environment.- There is no doubtthat technology is driving change in our personal and professional lives, and much of the change is actually positive. However, as outlined above, there are some pitfalls to growing up digital. By making yourself aware of the drawbacks, you put yourself in the best position to overcome them.Feeling consumed by the digital world? It may be time to take a much needed break. Try a digital detox and reap the benefits.A version of this article originally appeared on theAtrium Staffing blog.Michele Mavi isAtrium Staffings resident career expert.