Job interviews are dreaded by many people in the United States. It is completely understandable given the state of the economy. Now, more than ever, it is important to shine in an interview to give you the boost to being hired. However, with the pressure of needing to absolutely succeed at the interview comes the nerves and worry that often hinder one’s ability to perform at maximum capacity. Take a minute to go through the following tips that will help you mentally prepare for any job interview, no matter how much pressure you feel in performing your best.
Get a good night’s rest. Getting your full average number hours of rest can do wonders on your body, including relaxing your muscles and providing you with longer energy throughout your day. You might be thinking when you get excited it’s harder to fall asleep. To help fix this, you must first turn off all stimulation to your mind about 10-15 minutes prior to when you want to fall asleep. This includes anything that provide light (laptop, lamps, television, cell phone, etc.) and other sources of entertain that stimulate your brain (books, word puzzles, etc.). This should help you relax your brain and allow it to sink into a deep sleep.
The day before or morning of your interview take time to print off two copies of your resume, one for the interviewer in case they can’t find yours right away and one for yourself to follow along and point things out on. It’s extremely important to know what your resume says and where everything is. The last thing you want is for your interviewer to mention that they say something on your resume and you can’t find where it is quickly enough. It is your resume and you should know it like the back of your hand.
Another important part to prepare for your job interview is to review the job title, description, and current information regarding your field. By doing so, you will be able to incorporate qualities about yourself that tie directly back to the job description during your interview. You will also be able to demonstrate your knowledge and aptitude for your field by knowing up-to-date news. Knowing this information will boost your self-esteem and will transfer as confidence to the interviewer, which is always a positive trait in the professional world.
Finally, it’s important to allocate about 30 minutes of extra travel time than is necessary. You should always arrive at the location of your interview about 15-20 minutes before your interview time to give yourself time for parking, checking in, finding the room, etc. However, giving yourself an extra 30 minutes will all for any traffic accidents that might slow you down and/or for traffic in general. Worst case scenario is that you didn’t need the extra 30 minutes and you’ll have 30 extra minutes to go over materials that will prep you for your interview, such as your resume and/or newspaper.
The main thing to remember is to remain cool, calm and collected. With the right preparation your interview will go as smooth as you could hope. Follow these simple tips and you’ll do great. Good luck on your interview.
