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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

How to Beat Pre-Interview Stress

Author: Abbey Grace Yap

Photo: carbon-footprint-defined.com
Have you ever had pre-interview jitters? That butterfly-in-your-stomach feeling when you think of what might happen during your job interview? Will it be smooth sailing? Will you make a fumble? Don't worry, it's quite normal for you to feel that way. You're not alone. A lot of people suffer from pre-interview anxiety. Some are able to manage it. Unfortunately, there are some who fail because of it.

Now, what makes the difference is the way people handle the stress. Some people resort to taking anxiety meds like Prozac or Lexapro to calm the nerves. Some don't do anything about the stress they are feeling, causing them to commit mistakes during the actual interview.

To avoid such mishaps and to manage your jitters without the use of prescription narcotics, here are some helpful tips to ease off pre-interview anxiety:

Get enough sleep the night before the interview

Having a full 8 hours of restful sleep means that you wake up physically and mentally refreshed for the interview. It'll show in the way you look and act during the interview if you're exhausted or lack rest.

Dress for success

You might think that it's not going to be helpful, but power-dressing can help boost up your confidence. Aside from the fact that attending the interview appropriately and presentably dressed can impress your interviewer, you also get to feel good about yourself.

Eat wisely

You're stomach is already a bit upset as it is, so you might want to lay off fiber-rich foods like cereals, certain fruits, and vegetables. You might want to stock up on starchy foods for energy reserves during the interview. Stuffing yourself with sugary treats in hope of a sugar rush is not a good idea because it is always accompanied by an immediate sugar crash.

Mind the time

A common reason for having pre-interview jitters is the lack of time. You can either be caught in traffic with 5 minutes left to spare or be running to the office just to make it in time for the interview; either way, it's hard to race with time. Plan your day by setting aside enough time for travel. Also, make sure to arrive at the venue 10 minutes before the interview so you'll have enough time to freshen up.

Make music your companion

Of course, we don't mean that you keep your earphone on while you're going through the interview. I mean, on your way to the venue, pop in a couple of soothing, relaxing songs on your mp3 player and listen to it to calm your nerves.

Take time to breathe

Take slow, deep breaths before you go into the interview room. It may not seem like much, but it actually helps your mind relax and focus better.

Freeing your mind of anxiety will do wonders in helping you get through the interview smoothly. A worry-free mind will be able to focus on questions and come up with a valid answer promptly. So, the next time you feel pre-interview anxiety, make use of these stress-relieving tips and face your interview with confidence.

Abbey Grace Yap, is an active advocate for health consciousness and disease awareness. She possesses a deep passion in discovering new health-related information and sharing it to her readers. For more health related articles from the author, visit http://www.ordermedsonline.ca.

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