Interview anxiety is very common (even if you know you are well-qualified for a job). Meeting strangers in a position of authority; talking about yourself; being evaluated and judged on your appearance, demeanor, and ability to sell yourself—these are all triggers for nerves and stress.
Job interviews can be scary: there's a lot of pressure, and at the end of the interview you will either have a job or you won't. This can make us nervous, and panic when questions are asked that we aren't ready for. Don't be afraid.
It's OK to feel nervous or anxious about a job interview. It shows that you care. Sometimes feeling nervous or anxious can make you feel shaky or forget what you're going to say. But remember that the person interviewing you might also be nervous.
People who are anxious going into an interview often do not get hired. In the process, organizations and companies might often reject potential candidates with interview jitters who are otherwise quite capable of doing the job.
5 Tips to OVERCOME Interview NERVES! (How to NOT be NERVOUS in a Job Interview!)
31 related questions found
Why do interviews give me so much anxiety?
Interview anxiety is very common (even if you know you are well-qualified for a job). Meeting strangers in a position of authority; talking about yourself; being evaluated and judged on your appearance, demeanor, and ability to sell yourself—these are all triggers for nerves and stress.
Filler words can get annoying and are usually used when you're not sure what to say next. In an interview, this can make you look like you lack confidence or you're unsure of yourself — or, worst of all, like you're not being honest.
Employers will be watching to see how nervous you are and act. They probably wouldn't care about how nervous you are in the interview if it was only about the interview. The interview is just an example you being put in a high pressure situation. And in most jobs – those are going to come up.
It seems like “ghosting” has been a hot topic of late in recruiting circles. Most discussions of ghosting seem to focus on exclusively one side of the dance, i.e. the recruiter side or the candidate side. Let's try to consider both here.
People who hate interviews often feel so because they're not comfortable being the centre of attention with one or more people asking them questions. Several things are going through their minds while they're trying hard to focus. It can feel like you're being interrogated or judged.
The good news is that interview anxiety is completely normal and can actually be a positive sign. Imagine an elite athlete or professional musician — do you think they get butterflies before an important performance? You bet.
Being confident can definitely get you way ahead of others competing for the same job position. And a smile is the best symbol of confidence. Not only does it create a good impression on the interviewer but it can also make you happy and feel positive during the interview.
If you're lucky, they may just look past whatever snafu happened during the interview—big or small—and give you the job anyway. Of course, this is mainly likely to happen despite a less-than-ideal interview, you have relevant experience and the desired qualifications for the job.
Going for a job interview is even worse than going on a first date, with 93 percent saying they have felt nervous before an interview. That's according to a survey by employment screening company JDP.
