How do you deal with pre-interview anxiety?

For my last interview, I used ChatGPT to help me train for it.

I uploaded the job announcement, description to ChatGPT, then asked it to be the hiring manager for that job and to ask me popular interview questions, and questions specifically related to the posted announcement.

It can take multiple prompting to get the flow right etc., but it gave me a chance to study and practice for the actual interview.

It seemed to have worked, as I had a job offer by the end of the week.

I like to do several things before an interview. For me, the best way to minimize the anxiety is to feel prepared. I will research the company a little and try to come up with at least 3 questions I want to ask them. Asking the right questions and gauging their responses lets me feel like I have some control, and it usually reveals possible red flags.

On the drive to the interview, I will put on some of my favorite songs and karaoke that shit. It releases endorphins that helps my confidence and forces me to breath and oxygenate my blood. I tend to in the first few minutes of an interview breath pretty shallow, then when they ask me the first questions I feel out of breath and that makes the anxiety worse. While I am sitting in the lobby waiting, I breath deeply and slowly while going over my questions in my head. That way I am not death spiraling in my head and reinforcing the idea that I have some control in the situation.

That's what I do to handle it.

Have stories ready, and try to use the STAR method of explaining them. You can search for 'STAR method' on your favorite search engine and you'll find plenty of articles about it, but here's a quick summary:

The STAR method is a popular technique used in job interviews. It provides a structured framework for answering questions by focusing on four key elements: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. By describing the situation you encountered, explaining the task at hand, detailing the actions you took, and sharing the outcome or results, you can provide a concise and effective response that showcases your skills and experiences. This method helps interviewers gain a clear understanding of your capabilities and problem-solving abilities.

Aside from that, I always remind myself that I'm interviewing them as much as they're interviewing me. I don't want to work at a shitty company with shitty people, so I'm going to try and find out as much about their culture as possible.

If it is severe (heart pounding in your ears, can't think straight, tremors, etc) talk to your doctor. You might benefit from propanolol, a beta blocker (heart rate medication) that is also used in low doses for performance anxiety.

Please do NOT seek this out and take it without consulting a physician. Absolutely do not take it if you are also using cocaine at all.

You’re the prize. They have a position to fill and you’re going in to see if you fit it.

The interview is every bit for you as it is for them. But don’t forget that, ultimately, they need someone and you can be that someone. You hold the power position.

That being said, dress well, be professional, present yourself well. Always put your best foot forward.

I literally just got out of an interview (I was the interviewer). I was nervous as well before it because I also need to convince the applicant to join my team. If I sell my team’s work as boring and my company’s vision as uninspiring, there’s a chance I could lose this candidate.

With that said, the two other interviewers and I were very impressed with the candidate. We wanted her to succeed and when we felt as though she didn’t answer the questions we asked fully, we followed up and gave her the space to impress.

Interviews are not one-sided. We want to make sure they’re a good fit for us just as much as we are a good fit for them. If you made it to the interview stage, the interviewers are already impressed enough with your profile and they just want confirmation that they’re making a good choice with you.

Good luck on your interview!

It’s totally natural! As someone who has to conduct the interview nowadays, just know that I get nervous as well before going and conducting them, too.

As someone being interviewed, I found that for me really practicing my “script” helps calm the nerves. Interviewing is really just telling a series of scripted stories, so have several lined up and just practice telling them. Interview questions are incredibly repetitive - so you can really find the stories that try to highlight your strengths and then finding a time in the interview to deploy them.

Lastly, something that helps calm my nerves is really knowing that I have some power here, we both have the ability to say no to the opportunity. So, it’s a meeting to really determine if I have the skillset that’s desired by the company and if the fit is good for me as an individual. Remembering the power balance can give you a little bit of swagger back.

Best of luck, OP!!

i use the "fuck it" method. fuck it, who cares if you bomb it, you're never gonna see that person again. that's what I do personally

Propranolol and breathing exercises

If you’re legitimately a good candidate, find confidence in knowing you are who they should hire. Don’t necessarily say that, but believe in yourself. Look up some common behavioral/situational interview questions and have some general answers queued up and ready. I always expect these. They put you on the spot to come up a situation that pertains to their question and when you’re nervous, that Ivan be tough. Idk what the job is, but I think all this applies to any job interview I’ve ever had. Just find a place of confidence that you’re comfortable coming from and prepare because that preparation will result in perceived confidence. Again, believe in you and your value and go be your best you. If you don’t get the job, that’s okay. It isn’t a reflection on you. There are a lot of factors and you can only control what you’re able to. Gear up and prepare for the next one. Good luck!

Congratulations on the upcoming interview!

Not sure your field or exp level at all to give specific guidance, but my main thing is to try to give yourself grace after you get through it. You won't be able to help second-guessing everything, but things work out however they do. If you aren't selected, it's great to build experience going through the process. I'd recommend reaching out to the point of contacts post-interview for any feedback they can provide you with.

Edit: since you are specifically asking about pre-interview... My habits tend to be researching online about common questions for ppl in my field + just practicing my responses aloud. Going through the motions a few times beforehand makes me feel more prepared, whether those responses get used or not.

It's completely normal for you to feel anxious before something like a job interview. It's also normal to feel a bit scared of the possibility of moving jobs.

You're going out of your comfort zone - the comfort zone being your job or whatever is going on in your life. And when you do get out of your comfort zone, you will be uneasy and unsure, and that's just part of the process, and it's okay.

No matter what happens, you took that initial step and got yourself a job interview. Many others don't even take that step - employed or not. Be proud of yourself of that, and learn to understand and enjoy the process rather than thinking "I will be happy at X part of the process".

Once you crack this, people will think you are a monk with how peaceful and happy you are :D

I usually think about the big picture, that the universe is billions of years old and we are nothing but specs of dust and will be gone in a blink of an eye. And I take a big shit before interviews too.

Really loving the suggestions in this thread!

As someone who naturally freezes when they are put on the spot, what I've found really helpful is to think of the questions they're going to ask, write or type up my answers, and practice sitting and answering the questions out loud a ton of times for each question.

The repetition helps because the first few times are going to be super awkward and it helps to get that out of the way. Then as you get more comfortable you start noticing where you might stumble over something that sounds great written but is harder for you to articulate in real life if you aren't used to speaking that way. Practice changing the words around or using words that feel more natural to you.

By the time the interview happens I remind myself that it's definitely normal and expected to be nervous during an interview (who actually enjoys them?) so just roll with it if it shows. And if I don't get the job, this interview will at the very least be great practice for the next one!

I try to do anything to distract myself. I know it's just anxiety and I'll do fine but if i think about it, I'm gonna be worried.

I just assume I'm not going to get it so there's no real pressure since I've already failed, so I just have a chat with them about myself. Works surprisingly well for me.

Try to look at it as getting ready. Just like butterflies in your stomach before a performance. Take a breath, and know you'll do fine!

Take deep breaths. Mostly, remember that you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. Having a crappy job is just as demoralizing as having no job.

You got this.

I just try to remember that no matter what happens, it will end soon.

I hope the interview went well! Sometimes the result is not even the most important thing as is the experience of getting to do interviews.

One of the things that i try to keep in my head, always, is that it is a two-way street. Of course, you want the job based on the information you have, but is that still the case when you are actually talking to people?
Of course you can fail at something they throw at you, that is always possible, and sometimes a person is not (yet) good enough for a certain position. There is absolutely no shame in that. People learn and grow, and interviewing is part of that.

And in the end, it's okay to be nervous, all part of that game which you will get out of a little bit better, more prepared and experienced than before you went in.

It sounds kinda cringe, but I actually have found spoken mantras to be really helpful. Like, you actually have to say out loud that you are good enough for the position, that you know what your doing, that you are capable of nailing this interview, and whatever else you find personally helpful.

It sounds dumb, but it totally works and puts me in a much better place mentally before an interview.

As others have said, practice some answers, again out loud. Get comfortable saying the words. Don’t memorize lines, cause that ends up coming off a little robotic, but just try out some different ways of answering common questions.

As for general interview advice, I try to ask as many or more questions than they ask me. This way, I can kind of steer the conversation where I want it to go. I find this is the easiest way to get to a conversational cadence, which is where I want to be because I know the subject really well and I actually am pretty passionate about it.

You guys handle this way healthier than me. I pop a few gabapentin and a propranolol lol

Well, first bit of advice is a strong hello and let them trigger introductions and you'll get comfortable with them quite quickly. If there's someone who seems to be really encouraging and supportive you can have your mind focus on their facial expression.

Second is, that it's sort of like acting, and you'll get better at it. By acting I mean how strongly you mirror what a person wants from you. This is a skill that may need time to develop, but just bear in mind everyone has this ability to some degree.

Third, I know that people don't want someone to be quiet, but if you relax your voice a bit, while it might reduce the volume (obviously you want to be heard), it can also loosen your body a bit and you'll pace yourself more.

If you have the pre-jiggly stuff, nice deep rhythmic breathing. You'll detach from the situation and ground yourself without even realising it. Stoically you could also imagine the universe and that we are made of stardust, so an interview fades into insignificance.

All stuff I've discovered. The third one I found while addressing our department, and it took the edge off speaking to them lol.

I'm not a confident person, except in job interviews. Then my confidence just bursts out of me and that's my recommendation (as much as it may not seem like one if you're not confident).

But there's no good reason NOT to be confident. You're clearly qualified, or you wouldn't have the interview in the first place. They're interested and more importantly they need YOU or you wouldn't be here. There is literally no answer you don't know, because the most correct answer to a question you literally don't know is just that.

"I don't know/have that answer/have a solution, but I will find out."

It's so much easier when you realize that the above isn't just an acceptable answer, it's a good answer. It's the best answer you can possibly give. When I am evaluating someone there are two things I personally look for above all else. First, personality. Can I stand to be locked in a room with you for the majority of 8 hours? Cause I can teach you anything you don't know for this position, but I can't teach you a new personality. Second, which ties into this point, is if you find yourself in an unfamiliar position, how are you going to handle it? Do you stop at the first roadblock and then ask for help? Will you attempt to work beyond what you know and try things to see if you can discover solutions you're not familiar with? Or do you rush headlong and refuse to accept it's beyond your abilities and make a bigger mess than there was initially?

Speak loudly and clearly. Make eye contact with everyone. That room is yours. You are literally the most important in the room in that moment. They wouldn't waste their time otherwise. They know you're nervous, you're meeting people whose sole job in that moment is to judge you. Everyone has some inherit fear in such a scenario. So how do you handle pressure?

Finally, embrace it. You can learn about yourself as much as they can. This is a challenge and a perfect opportunity to learn from.