Everett, Wash.
Published: Wednesday, April 22, 2009

How to deal with anxiety and ace the interview

By Eve Nicholas

 You conducted your initial job research, picked out a great organization, and sent the hiring manager a copy of your results-oriented, customized resume. A few weeks later, your phone rang, and even though the call surprised you (note for next time: always be ready for potential employers to call), the outcome was ideal. You landed an interview!

But, rather than feeling proud of your initial accomplishment, your heart started pounding. You know this feeling. You remember it from the last time you searched for a job. It's interview anxiety, a powerful yet relatively common emotional state that compels many job seekers to quake with fear.

If you find yourself in this predicament -- palms sweating, unclear mind -- take a few minutes to calm down. Do something completely unrelated to job hunting, like taking a walk, or placing a phone call to a trusted friend. In a moment or two, you'll be ready to shift your perspective on your situation, and remind yourself what job interviews are all about.

First, pat yourself on the back for your recent accomplishments. You wrote an attention-grabbing resume, selected an appropriate company and aced the phone call. You already took initiative, demonstrated your skills and outperformed other candidates.

Next, it's time to remind yourself about the role of interviews in your job hunt. They aren't experiments, tests or challenges to overcome. They're step-stools to opportunities that were previously out of your reach. They allow you to learn about potential workplaces, negotiate higher salaries and explore new directions in your career. In most cases, interviewers are accessible, not intimidating. And, even though they evaluate your background and capabilities, and make decisions that influence your life, they don't have the power (or inclination) to judge your value as an individual.

Most job seekers find their interview anxiety melts away once they prepare for the actual meeting. Remember, your goal is to walk into the interview room with confidence, and engage the employer in a conversation about the benefits that you will bring to the company. Keep the following tips in mind:

Organize your thoughts by reviewing your own work history and reminding yourself of your past accomplishments. If it's been a while since you wrote your resume, look it over. You should know what's on it, and be ready to expand upon every detail of your experience.

Make sure that you have solid responses to tough interview questions. Gear up to discuss your career objectives, past jobs, employment gaps, strengths and weaknesses and other aspects of your professional life.

Read the newspaper and search online for information about the company and its leadership team. Find out everything you can about the culture and vision of the organization. Try to pinpoint areas of potential growth and improvement, and come up with a few ideas that you can offer as a new employee or manager.

Preserve your first impression with these basic principles of professionalism: Timeliness, attire and attitude. And, bring several copies of your resume and references to the meeting.

To minimize anxiety after the meeting, take the opportunity to ask about you status at the end of the interview, like this: "Now that we discussed a few of my qualifications, how do you think I fit in for this position?" The ensuing conversation can help you plan your next step.



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© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA