Tame your job application nerves

A job interview is the textbook example of a nerve-wracking situation. It is:

• An unknown situation.
• A situation in which we have to deliver.
• A situation in which you are evaluated as a person.

Nervous
Often it is the unknown situations that make us nervous. You don’t know what to expect and are already worried beforehand. Especially if you have to deliver a personal performance in that strange situation.

You put your best foot forward and want to convince the selection committee of your suitability for the job. But at the same time you are afraid of the opinion of your future boss. Can you convince him of your suitability? nerve-racking!

Jitters in the stomach
Everyone recognizes nerves by jitters in the stomach. Do you find a job interview scary? Then our body is immediately put on high alert. Scary situations demand adrenaline so you can act quickly.

Your heart rate increases, your blood flows faster and your breathing speeds up. If you don’t pay attention, you will tremble and sweat. This description sounds like pure physical arousal. That’s right: the body has only one kind of arousal.

The excitement that triggers job application nerves is the same excitement called infatuation. Only when we are in love we talk about ‘butterflies in the belly’.

Usefulness of nerves
The question is to what extent nerves promote good performance. If you’re so nervous that you sit at the interview table trembling and trembling, this certainly doesn’t work in your favor. Still, nerves aren’t necessarily wrong. A certain amount of tension actually contributes positively to performance.

A heightened state of alertness makes us:

• Better pay attention and be on the lookout.
• Adrem can respond to unexpected questions.
• Be active in the conversation.

However, as you get more nerves, they backfire. You feel your heart racing, you are too aware of your body and you feel uncomfortable. Your thoughts run away and you get distracted. A controlled job interview then becomes very difficult.

Medicines
What can you do to keep your nerves from running away? In any case, do not take tranquilizers! These drugs can cause your creativity to stall.

What can help are homeopathic remedies for stress, such as rhodolia, black horehound, valerian and mistletoe. Read the package leaflet carefully before use.

Step-by-step preparation
But whatever you do, everything stands or falls with thorough preparation, time management and possibly some breathing exercises. The following tips will help you prepare.

Week in advance

• Make sure you have a good idea of ​​the function. Know why the company wants you. Check your strengths and weaknesses. Think of an answer to possible questions about your career plans and ambitions. That way you won’t be unpleasantly surprised during the conversation.
• Get information about the company. What kind of company is it? Who are you having a conversation with? Having knowledge about the company appears interested and makes the situation less unfamiliar to you.
• Is the atmosphere formal or informal? Knowing what style of clothing is valued will give you one point less to worry about.

Two days in advance

• Plan your route. Nothing is more stressful than finding out along the way that you’ve lost your way. You also make a bad impression if you arrive late. Which trains and buses should you take? Be aware of possible delays. Are there traffic jams around the time of the call? Just to be sure, drive to the company as a test.
• Gather your resume and other documents, such as references or possibly a portfolio. If you only start this a few hours in advance, you will see that you have lost everything.

Morning before

• Get a good night’s sleep.
• Get up on time so that you have the rest to put yourself in order. Leaving in a hurry does not make you feel good.
• Avoid too many stimulants, such as coffee and chocolate. Too much caffeine can make you restless.

Hour in advance

• Try to keep calm. Play pleasant music in the car or seek distraction in the train.
• Do breathing exercises if you notice that you are becoming restless.
• Try to control your thoughts and think positive things. If the company didn’t see anything in you, they wouldn’t have invited you. They are interested in you; you have something to offer them.

Ten minutes before

• Make sure you are at your destination on time. Arriving ten minutes early makes a good impression and is good for you. You can then freshen up in the toilet.
• Don’t sit around twiddling your thumbs; that increases stress.
• If you are way too early, take a walk outside. That is more pleasant than sitting in the hallway and waiting.

Are you still nervous despite good preparation? No worries. Remember that it is perfectly normal to be a little tense. The application committee knows that a job interview is an exciting situation. In fact, that is probably also the case for your interlocutors.