It’s easy to lose yourself in preparing, agonizing, and overthinking about an upcoming interview. Will my interviewer like my blazer? How will he or she expect me to answer this vague, complex case? Do I talk about my favorite hobbies? Even when you think you’ve calmed yourself, those last moment nerves may catch you off guard. It doesn’t, however, have to be this way. Here are a few old and new tricks we’ve gathered to help you feel your best at any interview.
- Power pose. Amy Cuddy, a researcher at Harvard Business School, suggests that an open pose in body language can make you feel powerful and think more positively. Don’t huddle in the receptionist area on your phone.
Instead, in a safe space (e.g. bathroom), take up to two minutes before your interview and stand in a “high power” pose—with your arms extended up and outwards or on your hips, and with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Breathe purposefully. Andrea Gerding, program coordinator of Cornell’s “Let’s Meditate,” reminds that sometimes if you activate your body’s fight-or-flight response, it may be difficult to retract.
One way to calm your body is by purposefully breathing in deeply while counting up to 4, and then breathing out for a count of 6, and repeating this 10-second exercise a few times.
- Smile. An interviewer will notice if you don’t smile during your interview. Even if you are not very smiley naturally, take 15 seconds before your interview to crack a full smile. A simple way to do so is by biting down on a pen horizontally in your mouth. You’ll be surprised how much your mood will elevate by this short, silly task.
- List Three. Take a minute to run through a list of three activities, events, or qualities you know you want to talk about in your interview. When you are lost in a moment during the interview, come back to your list of three to stay on track for what you want to say.
- Check. Spending a quick minute to make sure you do not have anything to fidget with during your interview can make a big difference. Make sure you are not chewing gum, playing with a hair tie on your wrist, or wearing an arm full of loud bracelets.