11 Foolproof Ways To Relax When You’re Nervous

Nervousness is the state of being worried or afraid of what happens. It usually occurs because you care about the results of what you are doing. A simple case of nerves can directly affect the way that you act. It’s one of those unwanted sensations you might experience when there is an underlying pressure to perform, like during a job interview.

Most people get nervous before a job interview or when they have to do public speaking. You probably know that nervous feeling. Your hands get clammy, you fumble your words, you draw a blank when asked easy questions, or your heart starts pounding. Anxiety can cripple your chances for success and make you do stupid things during job interviews.

It’s hard to be relax when you’re nervous. So how can you avoid that nervous sensation? It’s certainly challenging, but here are a few ways to help calm your nerves:

1. Be prepared. – Know your stuff and do your research before you go. Study up for standard interview questions and be ready in case they throw in any tricky interview questions.
2. Make eye contact and be aware of your body language. – Your body language can speak volumes for you. Know what it’s saying by being aware of your sitting position, posture, arms, and eyes.
3. Keep the conversation flowing. – Try to avoid any awkward pauses. If there is an awkward moment, ask a question to keep the conversation going.
4. Don’t forget to breathe. – It sounds simple, but a deep breath can do wonders to calm your nerves.
5. Drink water. – Do you ever get a dry throat when you’re nervous? Have a bottle of water handy to keep that from happening.
6. Visit the interview site before hand. – Give the interview a dry run the day before. Scope out where the interview will be, where to park, and how to get there efficiently. Often times seeing where you’re going to be will help you mentally prepare for it.
7. Arrive early. – You certainly don’t want to be late. Allow extra time and arrive early than necessary.
8. Prepare questions. – You always want to ask the recruiter a few things about the job. Check out these interview questions for some inspiration.
9. Research your interviewer. – If you know who will be interviewing you, Google them. It could be a great conversation starter if you have something in common.
10. Be comfortable. – Wear appropriate clothing for the interview. When you’re dressed correctly and comfortably, it can help to eliminate nervous fidgeting.
11. Practice. – The more you practice, the easier things become. Often times it takes several interviews before you land a job, but it’s also possible to do fake, or practice, interviews with friends and family.

It’s almost impossible to be totally relaxed at a job interview, but try  your hardest to relax when you’re nervous. The more relaxed you are the better though. It will allow your true personality to shine through and that’s who the company wants working for them. Try your hardest to be yourself.

Hopefully some of the above tips can help you relax before your next job interview or public speaking event. Good luck!