Stress during a job interview… how to cope with it?
Before we start preparing for the interview itself, let's talk about the stress for a moment. If you ask a bunch of people what comes to mind when they hear the words job interview, they will surely mention ‘stress’.
That’s not surprising at all – interviews are a difficult communication situation. Unfamiliar people will be evaluating you and judging your behaviour in an unfamiliar environment, while you will try to get as much information as possible and make good impression. In such situations, stress is a completely natural reaction.
However, stress can be helpful, too. It can motivate us to properly prepare and perform better. Stress can also be evidence of your motivation. A candidate at an interview who is cool as cucumber may appear not that interested in the position they are applying for.
How to reduce stress before an interview?
If you want to know how to cope with stress, try the following recommendations. Don’t forget that these are not set in stone; everyone is different and can benefit from a different method.
1. Eliminate unnecessary stressors
Some sources of stress are avoidable and can be eliminated quickly and effectively. For example, taking an unfamiliar route to the interview, late arrival or inappropriately chosen clothes.
If possible, try and avoid all these stressors. Plan your route to the interview in advance and give yourself enough time to spare. If you are not sure where to go, don’t be afraid to ask the recruiter for directions.
If you still find yourself in a situation where you cannot make it on time, let your recruiter know as soon as possible. It is a common courtesy, and it can turn a potentially unpleasant complication in your favour by demonstrating that you can communicate openly and effectively react to an unplanned issue.
Which one of these candidates is dressed the best?
Correct answer
The best clothes cannot be clearly determined. The choice of clothes depends mainly on the company culture – in some cases it is common to wear a suit, in others you can get away with shorts and a tee. This also relates to the level of formality expected from the interview. People often say that you can never go wrong by dressing formally, however, I somewhat disagree. For example, if you are being interviewed at a company with a highly informal culture and arrive in a suit and tie, you may give the impression that you are not the best fit for their team.
Before you start choosing your outfit, try to find out more about the company culture. Their website and photos on social media can be a great source of inspiration. And if you are still in doubt, just ask the recruiter directly.
2. An interview is not an interrogation, but a dialogue
A common stressor can be the perception of unequal situation in which the recruiter has an advantage over us. That’s why it’s important to remember that interview is not an interrogation.
Interview is a dialogue between two parties, each with their own goals. The recruiter is looking for an employee who meets their requirements and will be the best fit for their company culture. The candidate is looking for a job that can best meet their needs and expectations from the future employer.
Just as you are trying to make the best possible impression, the recruiter is doing the same and trying to present the company in the best possible light while giving you space for your questions. Use these opportunities effectively and find out as much information as you can (the appropriate questions will be the topic of next chapters). Not only will you gather information, but it will also display your motivation. In opposite case, if you feel humiliated or ridiculed in any way during the interview, rethink whether this is a company you want to devote your time to.
3. Breathing exercises
Another way to combat stress before an interview are breathing techniques. These exercises might not be the most effective stress prevention, but they can help you in tense moments before the interview and can be very useful, for example, when waiting outside the office.
The list of the breathing exercises is extensive and it is up to you to pick the right one. One of the more popular choices is so-called Box breathing: breathing in, holding the breath, breathing out, holding the breath – each lasting same amount of time. Think of it as moving around the box, as shown in the picture below. We recommend starting with three seconds each and gradually deepening the breath to four and even five seconds. This process can be repeated.
If you are looking for more inspiration and different breathing exercises, check out Nevypusť duši.
4. Don’t fret over things that are outside of your control
Realising that there are things that we cannot influence and are not worth stressing about can be an effective stress combating technique. Candidates often fear rejection, but that does not necessarily indicate their failure or incompetence. The company may give the position to another candidate who is, for example, slightly more experienced than them, has lower financial requirements, or perhaps knows one of the recruiters.
These are factors that are beyond our control, so there is no need to stress about them or consider them our own failure. It is much better to focus on factors that we can influence, which slowly brings us to the last tip…
5. Prepare
Fortune favours the prepared mind. Not only does adequate preparation help us find answers to some tricky questions, but it can also reduce stress. And in the following chapters, we will show you couple of clever ways of doing so. Let’s get started, shall we?
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