Top 5 Tips to Combat Graduate Interview Nerves

Going through the laborious task of graduate job/scheme application processes are one thing, being able to handle your nerves on the interview day is another. Whether you are preparing for a phone interview, face-to-face interview or assessment day, this is for you. Confidence (not arrogance) is advice you've probably heard time and time again but the key to this balance, is keeping composed under the pressure of the interview spotlight. Here are the Top 5 Tips to beating nerves before and after interviews.

Before The Interview

1) Healthy Body=Healthy Mind So, you find out you have an assessment centre at 9am in a weeks' time and your body clock is so out of sync that you can't remember when you left the house that early. Start adjusting the body clock immediately. Sleep early and wake up early, but more importantly get regular exercise in this week so your body may be tired enough for you to sleep this early. On the day of the assessment centre you want to be waking up ready to go, feeling as fit as a fiddle and as awake as a Meerkat on watch to face the challenge ahead. You'll be so pumped from your early start and morning run; the nerves won't even come into play. Not to mention that irregular sleeping patterns add to fatigue, lowering your control over your emotions, leading to more hysterical panic than necessary before an interview. 2) Congratulate yourself for being you Remember that you've already filled in the application forms, done all the testing and most likely undergone a first round interview before the assessment centre which means they see something in you that they like. Bring this added confidence with you on the day and you will find yourself slightly more chilled out. If your assessment centre is in a 'fancy' office, remember that you deserve to be there, being yourself under pressure is what they are looking for.

In The Interview Room

3) Posture and Poise If all the above techniques have failed and you are entering the boardroom, already a bag of nerves your posture is something you can still control while naturally releasing you of certain tension and making you feel more relaxed. Never slouch as it is a defeated posture that just screams to the interviewer 'You've won, I have been defeated'. However, you don't want to straighten your back out of comfort as this won't help your nerves and you'll feel and look uncomfortable; using the chair for support, try going for a happy medium 4) Don't Become the Butterfly Nerves are perfectly normal going into an interview, everyone that cares about what the job is for will have a level of nerves but it's crucial not to let the nerves take over. You have to remember that you are in control of your emotions, the butterflies in your stomach are only in your stomach, and the rest of your organs are fine so focus on that fact to keep your nerves at bay 5) Remember who you are If you are a naturally witty person with an above average sense of humour, don't change for the interview. They want to see if you'll be a good company fit and in some ways that is assessed by how your personality comes across in the interview. It's ill advised to waste your energy trying to supress your natural cheeky character, however remember that there is a line and if you just make sure nothing you say bypasses your brain and that you don't swear, you'll be fine.