By Tony Jacowski

The reason for getting a bad case of nerves before an interview lies in one simple human psychological fact - fear of the unknown. The physical symptoms of nervousness could be anything ranging from sleeplessness, upset stomach, anxiousness and feeling apprehensive.

The down side of this is that it decreases your confidence; it gives rise to negative thoughts and a feeling of insecurity. This will definitely adversely affect your performance at the interview, the result of which being that you might lose out on a very good opportunity.

What’’s The Worst That Can Happen?

While it is a human nature to feel apprehensive about such situations, the idea is to get control over it such that it doesn”t affect you in a negative way. First of all, bear in mind, that the worst that can happen is that you won”t get a job - you won”t be hanged! Try to see things from a bigger perspective - there are tons of jobs available out there, and if you happen to lose out on one, remember - it’’s their loss, not yours.

Once you have overcome the fear of losing out on a job, you can now focus on getting the job with a free mind. Most interviews are very general and very similar, even with employers who have a reputation for conducting completely different or supposedly tough interviews. Remember that an interview is an art of selling - your services and your skills.

Be Prepared

You are the best person who knows yourself, your strength, your weaknesses, your failures, and your achievements. Knowing all these things is one thing, but being able to portray it in a good light, is an altogether a different thing. This is what interview skills are all about. The person conducting the interview cannot possibly find out about you unless you tell them. That’’s why the most important factor in calming your nerves for an interview is being prepared.

By being prepared and knowing the answers to possible questions, you run much less risk of something unforeseen happening, such as saying something that you shouldn”t. Even if you are nervous during the interview, knowing what you are going to do or say in advance will help you concentrate on the task at hand - impressing your potential employer.

Interviews in and of themselves can be nerve-wracking experiences. But by being prepared and relaxed, you can overcome your nervousness and perform well.

About The Author

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.