What to do on the eve of a meeting with a potential employer? How to relieve stress? And is it even worth thinking about the upcoming test?
I have an interview tomorrow. Second in my life. Nerves are taut like strings on a guitar. The mood is minor. I quickly walk around the room, trip over furniture, swear, and move on. From the outside, I probably look like a trained animal running around the circus arena. For a circus dog.
I am not at all confident in my abilities and results. I read on some website that for every twenty unsuccessful interviews there is one successful one. Calmed down...
By one o'clock in the morning I understand that it is time to go to bed. I fall asleep at three with the thought that my fate will be decided during the day, and life will never be the same.
A familiar situation, isn't it?
We know that advice from practicing psychologists will definitely help all of us who are worried.
Yuriy Levchenko, candidate of psychological sciences: “The world will not turn over”
Don't think about results
What will be will be. This is the most important thing, because otherwise you will come up with something bad. You can't think of anything good. Therefore, it is better not to think about the results at all.
Enter a trance state
It is important to enter a trance state before the interview. Trance is an auto-training state when a person concentrates on some external signal: a light bulb, a sound, the sound of the wind. In this state, his brain produces alpha and delta rhythms. Have you seen a person, for example, smoking? He is also in a trance state if he is not chatting with anyone. Or, for example, a boy is driving a car, his mother calls, but he doesn’t hear her. Also a state of trance - a state of calm.
How to cause this condition? Try to remember something pleasant. Or about ice cream, or about swimming in the sea, I usually talk about women. What's nice for whom: for some it's a priest, for others it's a priest's daughter. In a trance state, your entire hormonal balance returns to normal.
You need to stay in this state for fifteen to twenty minutes. You may even doze off a little. Stirlitz dozed in his car for fifteen minutes and woke up. He was in a trance state. I calmed down.
Release serotonin
He fell, did push-ups, danced, jumped, did squats. During physical activity, in addition to the hormones that put us in a state of rage and anxiety, serotonin is also released - this is the hormone of joy. Stand in front of the mirror and dance, make faces, imitate animals, political figures, artists, anyone. Both facial expressions and movements will put you in an artistic state, which will be useful to you during the interview.
Don’t listen to any advice: breathing in a square, in a triangle, through the ear. It's simple: long breath. Take a deep breath, hold for 2-3 seconds and exhale 2 times longer than the inhalation. What's happening? Carbon dioxide accumulates in your blood. It goes to the pituitary gland. And endorphin is released from the pituitary gland. This endorphin is a drug. It even numbs you and gives you some euphoria. You will feel a little dizzy. Breathe like this seven to ten times. No more. After that, sit and drink tea and coffee in the kitchen. Do not drive for 20-30 minutes.
That's all. And then tell yourself: I do as I know, let it be what will be. The world won't turn upside down.
From a psychological point of view, our anxieties and worries associated with an interview are an evaluative dependence; we attach great importance to the result. And since the outcome of the interview is not something that is entirely up to us, uncertainty arises. Hence the worries, tension, stress.
You can deal with this in different ways. It is useful to master some methods of muscle relaxation and relaxation in advance. And you don’t need a specialist, there is enough information on the Internet.
The body can be either in a state of relaxation or in a state of tension and stress, but not at the same time. And if you know the appropriate techniques and can relax, then you will calm down on an emotional level. It is a fact. The problem is that you need to learn these techniques in advance.
But the most important thing is to form a certain attitude towards the interview. Do not give it excessive significance or dramatization. This is not a matter of life and death. The light did not converge like a wedge on this company and this job. But it is precisely these attitudes that unconsciously arise in people who are afraid to undergo an interview, are very worried and, as a result, fail.
Treat such things more lightly, try to mobilize, say: I will do everything that is needed, and the rest will be as it goes. Remind yourself: I have strengths, I have something to say, but whether the employer and I are suitable for each other or not will be seen. We must always remember that this is not the last opportunity and, perhaps, not the best, no one knows. Each such attempt should be considered as an experience that will teach you something. Each interview must then be analyzed and benefited from.
Treat the interview as a communication training, an opportunity to establish contact with new people, and a personality study. People who intuitively grasp these things tend to do well in interviews.
Relaxation techniques
Some relaxation methods have already been mentioned above. The first of them is associated with visualization, when you imagine pictures that are pleasant for you, the second with proper breathing, and the third with physical activity.
Art can also help you relax. Listen to your favorite music or play it yourself on some musical instrument, sing or dance. Watch a movie, read a book, or look at your favorite painting again. Everything that is pleasant and interesting for you will be useful for your psyche.
Have a laugh. Laughter is a wonderful thing. It can be useful not only in a comfortable situation for a person, but also in a stressful one. He is capable of saving lives, and he is even more capable of helping to cope with emotions.
Relax and unwind
It turns out that the main advice from experts for dealing with stress before an interview is to relax and have fun.
If you feel that your fear is so strong that it eats up your energy, positive emotions and enthusiasm, then just leave these thoughts and do something pleasant: go for a walk with friends, to the cinema, rollerblading or cycling, walk in the park . You will come to the interview not gloomy, but joyful and calm - and your chances of getting a job will increase several times.
Based on materials from Arguments and Facts
According to the results of many studies conducted in the USA and Europe, the fear of public speaking is included in the “top 10” of the main human phobias, along with the fear of death, fear of heights, etc. Sometimes it even takes first place in such “hit parades.” . This can be a serious problem during an interview.
So, you have decided to start looking for a job, and there are many challenges ahead of you. The main one is fear or uncertainty before the upcoming interview with the employer. Remember how you took exams at school or college, and what a nightmare it seemed to you.
Fear of an interview is a fear of the unknown, of future changes in life. This state can be compared to what a child feels when he has to go into the world without his mother, and he does not know what awaits him there. But you are already an adult and can take care of yourself.
The impression you make on the HR manager is great value, and performing well in an interview can easily outweigh some gaps in your knowledge. Therefore, your main task is not to get in the way of your excitement to show the employer what an excellent employee you are and what good service you can provide to the company.
Of course, everything will depend on the position you are applying for. If it involves constant contact with new people, then being hesitant during an interview will serve you poorly. But if you are going to do analytical and technical work, then there is less demand from you.
What to do and what not to do
There are several effective ways relieve anxiety before an interview.
Try to appear like a confident person. Straighten your shoulders, raise your head.
Remove the expressions “I don’t know”, “maybe”, “I’ll try” from your vocabulary. Change them to the phrases “of course”, “I’m sure”, “I can”, “I’m ready”.
Speak on your own behalf: “I want,” “I feel,” “I believe,” “I disagree.”
You can put 1 Glycine tablet under your tongue or drink a small dose of Novopassit. It is better not to take valerian because of its persistent specific odor, which the HR manager will definitely feel.
Some time before the interview, do some exercise, take a brisk walk, or go for a run in the park.
Stretch your arms - hand exercises reduce fear and stimulate speech activity.
On the day of the interview, avoid coffee, strong tea, chocolate, and a lot of sweets. Instead of candy, eat sweet fruits, especially if you are in a gloomy mood - fast carbohydrates will come in handy.
There is a well-known psychological formula that says: “We are happy because we laugh, and we are sad because we cry, and not vice versa.” Try to go “by contrast”: in order to cope with emotions, you need to breathe deeply, slowly, concentrating on inhalation and without holding your exhalation, without “hiding”.
Try to change your psychological attitude towards interviews and form a new one - “I am a researcher.” Tell yourself that you should stop torturing yourself and try to have fun, for example, by finding elements of the game during the interview.
Use the “mirroring” technique. Listen to the pace of a person’s speech - let yours be the same. Hold your hands the same way he does. Act in unison with the interviewer - this is very good remedy to establish contact.
Perhaps you are not a hero of the “Battle of Psychics” program and do not know how to read other people’s thoughts, but you can guess what you will be asked about during an interview. Don’t be afraid to ask questions related to the amount of payment, schedule, workplace, vacation, insurance, white and black forms of payment, etc., that is, to defend your interests. Make a list of questions you might be asked in advance, and don’t be afraid to voice yours.
A spoonful of honey in a barrel of ointment
The fear that you may experience during an interview even has its advantage: since a little anxiety will keep you on your toes, you will respond more quickly to the HR manager’s questions.
Don't forget that the employer is also a person. He is not at all trying to expose you as a deceiver and a liar; his job is to find a suitable person for the vacant position. You don’t have to be a “superman” to be accepted into the company—you just need to be qualified for the position.
When going for an interview, it is useful to ask yourself the question: what will actually happen if I am not hired? Perhaps, having answered it to yourself, you will understand that you have nothing particularly to be afraid of. According to statistics, out of 15 interviews only one is successful. And the faster you get 14 rejections, the sooner you will succeed.
Good luck!
Regulation Techniques emotional stress(E.V.Sidrenko)
| Reduce tension | Raise the voltage |
| 1. Emphasizing commonality with a partner (similarity of goals, interests, opinions, personality traits, etc.) | 1. Emphasizing the differences between yourself and your partner |
| 2. Emphasizing the importance of your partner’s opinion in your eyes | 2. Belittling the partner - a negative assessment of the partner’s personality, belittling the partner’s contribution to the common cause and exaggerating one’s own |
| 3. Verbalization emotional state(your own or your partner) | 3. Ignoring the emotional state (your own or your partner’s) |
| 4. Showing interest in partner problems | 4. Demonstrating disinterest in your partner’s problem |
| 5. Giving the partner the opportunity to speak out | 5. Interrupting your partner |
| 6. If you are wrong, immediately admit it. | 6. Delaying the moment of admitting you were wrong or denying it |
| 7. Offering a specific way out of the current situation | 7. Finding the guilty and blaming the partner |
| 8. Appeal to facts | 8. Going personal |
| 9. Calm, confident pace of speech | 9. A sharp increase in the rate of speech |
| 10. Maintaining optimal body rotation and tilt distance | 10. Avoidance of spatial proximity and eye contact |
By the way!
3 reasons for fear of an interview:
1. This is your first interview in your life, or your experience of communicating with an employer is minimal;
2. You desperately need a job, and a possible refusal means almost the end of the world for you;
3. You have somewhat embellished your merits in your resume and are afraid of exposure.
Media holding "Pronto-Moscow"
The time before an interview is a few minutes that you spend in nervous tension. There are many techniques to take your mind off your worries and relax, and one of them is to look around and where you would like to work.
When coming to an interview, many people forget that the company needs employees as much as they need work. Meanwhile, during the interview, you also decide whether a particular company is right for you.
All responsibilities wages and other aspects of your position you will discuss at the interview, and before it you have an excellent opportunity to form your opinion about the company itself.
Look around you
Most often, the applicant sits in the reception area or in the corridor in front of the door, waiting to be called. In such circumstances you can’t really go for a walk, but it’s worth looking around. Sometimes this is enough to understand details that you would be embarrassed to ask about directly.
1. Walls
The walls of the office can tell not only about the well-being of the company, but also about what is emphasized in this company and what is required from employees.
For example, if gratitude to employees is hung on the walls, it means that the company values its staff. If there are awards on the walls, you can immediately see what the company has achieved and how much it cares about its status.
Posters about seminars and events may indicate a commitment to training and development of your employees, or that you will be required to attend events for professional development.
2. Machinery and equipment
As you walk through the office, look for computers, mobile technology, video and projection equipment. If a company has the latest model equipment, it means that the company attaches great importance to modern technologies, and will invest money in technical equipment.
If the computers are old, or things in the company are not going well, or management does not care about the convenience and productivity of employees.
3. Layout
Office layout matters a lot. Look at how the desks are arranged, whether there are separate partitions in the office, and what size they are.
What does an office look more like: a bright, spacious room or a labyrinth of gray walls? Just imagine if you would like to work in this place, because if you get hired, you will have to spend most of your day here.
4. People
If you have to work in a team, or at least occasionally encounter employees, you need to pay attention to them first. Assess the environment in the office: how do they work, how do they treat each other?
Everyone is sitting with headphones on, staring at the monitor, or everyone is discussing some topic together. What prevails in the office is the clicking of keys, phone calls, conversations and laughter or harsh, irritated voices?
The environment matters a lot, and if you feel that the employees are quite hostile towards each other, and the atmosphere in the office is tense, no amount of money will make it a job you love.
Equally important is how your future employees dress. If you value freedom of expression or hate formal wear, a dress code will be your farewell to personal comfort.
Double benefit
So, casually examining the office, employees and equipment, you will not only learn a lot about the company, but also. Your attention will be occupied with observation and evaluation, so there will be no time left for nerves. Double benefit - you calmed down and roughly understood where you have to work.
If you came to the interview on time and simply didn’t have time to look around properly, all this can be done after talking with the HR manager. No matter what he tells you about the company, his observations are worth more in any case.
During an interview, everything is important: from a well-thought-out resume to knowing the correct answers to all questions. But it happens that the applicant has everything for success, except for one thing - the ability to calm down before the interview and present himself from the best side. And the more important this particular interview is to you, the more worried you are. To overcome fear, all means are good if they work and do not contradict the Criminal Code. We offer you nine easy options.Medications
. A valerian tablet or 10 drops of Corvalol will do the trick. Moreover, valerian, motherwort or novopassit are preferable, otherwise you will spread a pharmaceutical smell around you, which is absolutely unnecessary in this situation. Do you think that one valerian tablet is not enough to get results? Stop thinking like that. The placebo effect has not been canceled.Aromatherapy. Essential oils can change your mood and mood. The most universal aromas, the inhalation of which brings the spirit into an elevated and balanced state: grapefruit, lemon, rosemary, cedar, tea tree, bergamot, eucalyptus, lavender. However, caution should be exercised, since the dosage may not be correct, and a paradoxical individual reaction is also possible. So, it’s better to experiment in advance.
Breathing. There are various breathing techniques to help you focus and tune in. Begin to breathe slowly, evenly, and deeply, focusing on all the different sensations that your inhalation and exhalation give you. You can try yogi breathing: take a deep breath through your mouth and exhale the air through your mouth in sharp bursts. One exhalation is divided into four to five portions. Ten to fifteen breathing movements are enough. Only to implement such a technique is it recommended to go into seclusion.
Good song . On the one hand, this is a special case of breathing technique. On the other hand, the cheerful “March of Enthusiasts” or the restrained melody of “Dark Night” will distract you. Of course, don’t sing out loud - you’re not in your soul. Let the words resonate inside your head.
"I see" . You are waiting for someone to finally call you and you are completely exhausted. Try to focus on what you see or hear and begin to mentally name what you see or hear, starting each phrase with the words “I see.” For example: “I see a green wall, I see a picture on the wall, I see a black frame for this picture.” And do the same with “I hear”: “I hear my neighbor’s voice, I hear the newspaper rustling.”
Imagine naked. This method for setting the mood for a presentation (and an interview, in a certain sense, is a special case of self-presentation) was proposed by psychologist Ron Hoff. If the very sight of your interlocutor fills you with horror, develop your imagination - mentally take off his clothes. A naked man is defenseless and a little funny. And it's not dangerous at all. However, your fantasies should be kept in check and not allowed to develop in an erotic direction.
Ritual. Here everyone has their own. Eat three fried eggs for breakfast, kick the radiator, enter the meeting room with your right foot... The astronauts watch the “White Sun of the Desert” before the launch - a wonderful ritual that has proven its effectiveness.
Reality Transurfing. Fashionable theory, described in detail in the books of Vadim Zeland. Within the framework of the picture of the world he proposes, people can shape their future in the desired way and, as it were, attract it to themselves. Imagine that the interview is already over, everything went great, congratulate yourself on your success. True, it's easier said than done. But knowledgeable people say that they perform this trick with constant success.
Affirmation. An effective way to convince yourself of something and tune in to the positive. These strange texts are created according to the laws of NLP and, as it were, are programmed for success. You need to pronounce them regularly in order to feel every word. It is better to compose an affirmation yourself, but it is not forbidden to use the work of experienced affirmatologists. Example: “I quickly and efficiently solve the problems facing me. I independently determine the direction of my life. Every moment gives me the opportunity for self-realization.”
What not to do
1. A glass “for courage.” Front hundred grams are good before an attack, and not at the moment when you need to demonstrate your best qualities.
2. Psychotropic drugs. Most of them calm down to the point of complete apathy.
Based on materials from Katerina Smirnova
An interview for a vacancy is always a lot of stress. The main thing is to be able to cope with nervous tremors and tune in to the positive, but how to do this?
You can calm down using different methods. If this is not your first interview, try to recreate your past interviews, remind yourself of your successes, and look at the upcoming meeting from the perspective of the future. Your task is to reduce the significance of the interview: this is just a passing stage in your life, and nothing particularly terrible can happen here.
Take on a mental agility challenge to take your mind off unpleasant thoughts and help you concentrate. Or clench your fist and slowly, slowly - about five minutes - unclench it. Sometimes it is useful to write abstracts about what you would like to tell a future employer about yourself. This will give you the opportunity not only to get your nerves in order, but also to prepare for the interview. Just don’t overdo it: it should be brief information without unimportant details. It’s not worth memorizing answers to possible questions and having ready-made formulations in stock: firstly, no one knows what the interviewer will ask you exactly, and secondly, if you forget a phrase, you can simply fall into a stupor and yourself harm.
A well-known relaxation technique is meditation and proper breathing: inhale and exhale deeply on a count, try to distract yourself from heavy thoughts and think about something pleasant. For example, remind yourself of moments in life when everything worked out for you, you were at your best, and the people around you admired and supported you. You must convince yourself that everything will work out for you and that you are not afraid of anything. If time allows, listen to your favorite music.
If you have a panic attack during an interview, try to control your emotions and master the situation. To reduce its significance, you can look at your interlocutor from an unusual, even ironic, point of view. One teacher oratory In this case, I advised you to imagine the interviewer without clothes or inside a zoo cage, while you yourself are outside.
If you feel yourself starting to panic, take a short break: there is nothing wrong with pausing the conversation for a few seconds and breathing deeply. Try to take control of the situation into your own hands, show minor acting hooliganism: for example, speak in a slower or lower voice than usual. After all, attacks of fear are caused by a loss of control, but if you take power at least in such insignificant things, it will seem to you that the amount of control has increased and you are again ready to communicate as equals.
I have heard that during an interview it can be useful to use the mirroring method - repeating the pose or some phrases of the interlocutor. This method is necessary rather to establish contact with the interviewer. I haven't used it myself, but perhaps this method will be effective. The main thing, in my opinion, is not to see your interlocutor as an enemy. Try to convince yourself that no one here wishes you harm, but, on the contrary, wants to help you get a job.
Yuri Pakhomov
Based on materials from Trud
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