Avoiding Job Interview Nervousness

Try to overcome your fears of the interview by putting things into perspective.  Try to remember that the interviewer is just a normal person like you and the two of you are just going to have a conversation. Always remember that the very worst case scenario would be that you don’t get the job, but then again, there is no guarantee that this is the perfect job for you anyway.

Try not to think that you are the only one that is being interrogated. You too are interviewing the person to see if the job and the employer is suitable for you and if it’s what you want or it would be a place you would like to work in.

Calm Your Nerves

One of the quickest ways to help you relax and calm your nerves is by using breathing techniques for relaxation, they can be done anywhere, at anytime and without anyone realising or seeing anything different about you.

The technique is simple to learn, breathe in slowly and take a shallow breath through the nostrils. Pause a moment then breathe out slowly through the mouth ending with a sigh and let all the tension go. There are other relaxation techniques you can learn to do before you leave for the interview such as, yoga and meditation.

Most of the time the thoughts of attending the interview and waiting for it can be far worse than the actual interview itself and you will probably leave the interview wondering why you got yourself all worked up in the first place.

Preparing For The Interview

Preparing for the interview will help to combat nerves and create a more confident you.

• Be prepared to accept rejection because competition for jobs is much stronger these days and only one of you can be successful.
• Try to visualise yourself as a product and at the interview try and sell that product by showing it in the best light possible.
• Show all the good points and the advantages of the “product”.

Once the interview is over however it went give your self a pat on the back for attending, even if you don’t think it went well or that you may not be offered the position.  At least you got to the interview stage.

Try not to go over and over what was said and don’t tell yourself off wishing you had said or done something differently. What has happened is over so just let it go. Try not to sit by the phone waiting for the call from them. If they call and offer you the job, well done if not then just let it go and keep up your job hunting.

What Not To Put On Resumes

1. Remember not to share the negative aspects of your previous work history; you don’t have to share everything with your potential employer unless specifically asked. While you should not lie, you must make an effort to always protray yourself in the best possible light. That’s what your resume is all about.
2. While employers like seeing a well rounder personality, you don’t need to give them your whole life story. Don’t list too many hobbies. Yyou can list a couple of interests but don’t get too carried away. A resume is meant chiefly to highlight your professional experience, so concentrate on this.
3. Generic objectives must be avoided. Always remember to tailor your career objective according to the company and position that you are applying for. This will show the prospective employer that you are keen about the role at their company and not just applying to any and everyjob that comes your way.
4. Don’t list too many short lived jobs as potential employers might worry about your level of commitment. Short stints at jobs cause employers to worry as they believe you might not stick around for too long if offered a poition in their company either.  If these short stints of work was through a temporary agency then list the agency as the employer and any work for them on a short term basis list as projects or assignments.
5. If your GPA is particularly low, you need not mention it in your resume. This is only relevant for the first couple of years after you graduate from college, after which it becomes irrelevant and your work experience gains more importance. However if the position you are going for relies heavily on education then it might be in your best interest to include your GPA unless of course it is very low.
6. Don’t list any information that could be even remotely controversial, this included things such as religious beliefs, sexual preference or anything to do with political beliefs.
7. Don’t list more experience than the position you are applying for needs. If the employer is asking for 5 years of experience then make sure you list 5 years of good positive working experience. If you have more experience, simply describe this in brief.
8. Details of your high schoolresults are almost never needed especially if you have gone onto further education such as college so you can safely leave this out of your resume.

Create your resume such that it portrays you in the best light possible. Never lie on your resume but it is wise to avoid unnecessary negative details as well.