When people merely hear the words “job interview,” they start sweating, their heart races and they begin to shake. OK, that may be a slight exaggeration, nonetheless it can be a very stressful situation for many job-seekers. As a career coach, I help my clients reduce their anxiety so they can put themselves in the best light possible.

Here are just a few very effective ways to lower your stress during a job interview:

1. Don’t allow yourself to be interrogated. A great way to reduce the stress is to think of the job interview as a conversation, rather than an interrogation. The interviewee has some power to create a conversation by interjecting questions throughout the interview, vs. waiting until the end to ask questions. Simply ask the interviewer at the beginning if it’s OK with him/her to ask questions in this way. 95% of the time they’ll be fine with it. Just by doing this creates a significant shift in the “balance of power” and puts the interviewee on more of a level playing field.
2. It’s a 2-Way Street. Also, it’s important for anyone going into an interview to remember that they’re interviewing the company as much as the company is interviewing them. With this mindset, it helps to reduce the stress since the interviewee has a new sense of control and decision-making power.
3. Smile, inject humor and find a connection. Smiling releases endorps into the body and naturally elevates your mood. Inject humor (if appropriate) into the interview. Also, try to find a personal connection with the interviewer (sports, hobbies, travel, pets, etc.) by looking around his/her office for photos that could provide clues to making this connection. Remember, a job isn’t all about your experience and skills. It’s also about your personality and fitting well with the organization.
4. Don’t forget to breathe. It’s perfectly OK to pause before answering questions to gather your thoughts in order to give clear and concise responses. It also gives you some control in setting the pace of the interview, slowing it down a bit if you’re feeling rushed. All of this contributes to a lower stress level.
5. Above all, be prepared! Research the organization beforehand – what they do, their mission, history and direction. I also do mock interviewing with my clients, which really helps them get comfortable with some of the more challenging interview questions, increase their confidence with the process and belief in themselves. One caveat: don’t over-rehearse. You want to come across naturally.

The beauty of these techniques is that they’re so simple, yet so powerful and effective in reducing the stress associated with job interviews! They’ll help you view the interview with less dread and more optimism and enthusiasm!

Joe Rosenlicht, MBA is a certified coach and founder of InMotion Career & Wellness, a coaching practice specializing in career, small business and wellness issues. Joe uses his longtime experience and education in both coaching and business, combined with a structured and proven approach, to help clients achieve their goals faster and easier. Visit Joe at http://www.inmotioncoach.com to get his free monthly bonus report containing more valuable insights, tips and resources about job interviews and other career topics, and to arrange a complimentary consultation. Also, find out how to receive a free coaching session and about his Coaching Guarantee!

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