5 Tips to Mentally Prepare Yourself Before a Job Interview

    

Written by Jarrett Ng

We’ve all been there before - you’ve got a job interview scheduled in the morning, you feel confident making your way there, and boom - a sharp pang of nervousness suddenly hits. You start breaking out into cold sweat, and your skin turns clammy. “I can’t do it,” You tell yourself. “What if I mess up? What if they throw me a curveball in the middle of the interview? What if all my preparation ends up going to waste?”

Job interviews, especially the first few, never come easy to most. When preparing, people usually note the practical aspects of the interview, but usually neglect the mental aspects. FastJobs would like to take this opportunity to give you a few tips on how to prepare yourself mentally for an interview so that you’ll be well-equipped to secure that part-time or full-time job you’ve always wanted - bonus points if you applied to them on FastJobs.

The S.T.O.P Method

The S.T.O.P method is a mindfulness practice that serves as a way for you to ‘check-in’ with yourself. It allows you to be aware and clear of your thoughts and understanding why these thoughts are causing the feelings of self-doubt when you are stressed or nervous. By slowing down and taking the time to know your thoughts and feelings, you’ll find that it’s easy to fight off those pesky fears and nerves just before the interview!

The S.T.O.P Method is:

S: Stop. Pause whatever you’re doing for just a moment.

T: Take a few deep breaths. Take note of your breathing. Each breath serves as a constant rhythm to the present moment. 

O: Observe. Take note of what’s happening to you now, both internally and externally. Note your thoughts and feelings, and what you are doing. Figure out why you are feeling nervous or stressed.

P: Proceed. Proceed with whatever you are doing. Incorporate what you are now more aware of your feelings and actions.

Helpful Thinking

Thinking about the negatives and constantly being pessimistic will only serve to stop you from making a good impression during your interview. The self-criticism and self-doubt that plagues your thoughts will carry over in your words, expressions and actions towards the interviewers - so it is important to shift your thoughts to something more positive and helpful! Focus on positive aspects of yourself and give yourself a chance. Think of the good things that could happen rather than the negative. Doing so will reduce stress and create positive feelings of confidence as well as a determination to succeed, which will only serve to help your interview.

Visualisation

I’m sure we’ve all pictured things in our head before - but did you know it can be used as a useful tool to relax? Create mental images in your head of you doing well throughout the entire interview and feeling great afterward. These images should contain even the most minute details, such as your attire on that day and the words you will be speaking - it adds to the immersion. Never visualize anything negative, as the idea is to trick your brain into reacting and producing the feelings associated with these images. If done correctly, you should be feeling as good as what you had visualized earlier! This helps in reducing stress and improving your confidence - a much-needed boost before an interview. If you’ve got a clear picture of your future career, you can explore the options available on FastJobs!

Use the Power of Music

Music is a powerful tool to help lift the spirit, and it serves as a fine way for one to destress right before an interview. Think of your favourite song(s) that you use to push through obstacles - such as when you are running or at the gym - and give it a good listen right before your interview. You’ll find that these tunes will get you pumped and ready to crush it! 

Give Yourself a Pep Talk

We all have inner monologues with ourselves. We frequently project our own thoughts and feelings by talking about them in our heads. And if you need to calm your nerves before an interview, that’s exactly what you should do! Give your confidence a boost by giving yourself an inner pep talk just like how you would give a pep talk to your friends to lift up their spirits. Experts say that if you use your own name whilst giving the talk, it’ll help you get a greater sense of perspective about the situation - which helps to reduce those feelings of anxiety and fear.

Summing It Up

When preparing for an interview, getting yourself in the right headspace can be just as important, if not more, than researching questions and memorizing responses. We at FastJobs believe that in order to crush it at an interview, it is important that you utilize these techniques to help calm those jitters! If you are looking for part-time or full-time jobs in Singapore, download the FastJobs app today.