Prepare for a job interview: the mental preparation
Let’s be honest! Today there is a lot of competition in the job market. Not only do you need to be prepared for the questions you may be asked, but you also need to be emotionally prepared. If you are nervous or lack confidence, the interviewer may not have much confidence in you either. Prepare yourself mentally for those questions by rehearsing your answers beforehand while thinking about how the interviewer might receive them, and prepare yourself emotionally by doing some relaxation exercises. Some common questions include, “what do you know about the company?”, “what are your strengths?”, “what are your weaknesses?”, “why did you leave your last job?”
Preparing for a job interview: emotional preparation
If you are very nervous about going to the interview, it may help to realize that everyone has some anxiety about the interview. A little nervousness is good, it gives you energy! If you are tremendously nervous, you will want to focus on your breathing. People who suffer from anxiety attacks have very restricted breathing. They breathe into the upper part of their chest in shallow breaths, instead of going down to their belly. See if you can open your chest and take a few slow, deep breaths and let the air travel down to your abdomen. Focus on relaxing every part of your body, from your feet to the top of your head. By simply focusing your attention on your breathing and consciously relaxing your muscles, you will begin to feel more calm and centered. You may also want to close your eyes (but not if you’re driving) and take a few minutes to visualize a successful interview outcome. Imagine yourself calm and collected during the interview and the interviewer smiling and shaking your hand after saying it was nice meeting you. Remember that practice makes perfect and if you fail to get an offer in the first round of interviews, apply it to practice and eventually you will succeed.