Nandi was an intelligent bubbling lady. She had good communication and networking skills and performed her work diligently. Sadly, she was not getting promoted at work as she always failed interviews. It was as if a spell was cast upon her that the moment she walked into an interview room, she would start sweating profusely and her palms would be wet. She would lose her voice and develop a stammer that would last as long as the interview. She wondered if her village people had anything to do with it but then she always thought they would be the main beneficiary if she got promoted so she ruled them out. Some of her workmates even suggested she hides a bottle of a cider and gobbles it just before the interview.

Interview anxiety is very common, even if you know you are well-qualified for a job. Meeting strangers in a position of authority; talking about yourself; being evaluated and judged on your appearance, demeanor, and ability to sell yourself are all valid for nerves and stress.

Job interviews are intimidating and feeling nervous is understandable. Interviews can mean meeting new people and having to talk about yourself. The pressure to improve or change your employment situation, whether because of dissatisfaction or for financial reasons, can add another layer of anxiety and stress.

Anxiety can affect a job interview by causing distracting and uncomfortable physical sensations such as a racing heartbeat or sweating. Anxiety and nervousness may also make it difficult for you to answer questions thoughtfully. Preparing in advance and taking steps to manage your stress can help combat these feelings.

In the days and hours leading up to an interview, taking proactive steps to prepare yourself will help you manage interview anxiety. While it may be difficult to achieve a true state of calm, you will feel more confident if you are making an effort to cope with your anxious feelings.

Taking care of your body can go a long way toward alleviating nervous energy and helping you feel calmer. Avoid caffeine, get enough sleep and exercise regularly. Keeping yourself in good health is paramount when facing potentially stressful situations.

Visualize yourself succeeding by finding a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed, close your eyes, and visualize yourself being successful in your interview. While it may seem silly, visualizing success is more than just positive thinking. When done correctly, it prepares your brain to behave in a certain way. This technique is often used by athletes before competitions to improve performance.

Do your research as it is a good stress reliever. Before the interview, learn as much as you can about the potential employer and prepare answers to common interview questions. Every bit of preparation you do will help to increase your comfort level and make you feel more confident during the interview. Read about their values, their mission statement, their aspirations, their corporate social responsibility programmes etc. By doing that, you can relate your answers to the values that are being highlighted in the company’s activities.

Reducing stressors unrelated to your actual performance in the interview, such as uncomfortable clothing, getting lost, or showing up late, is helpful for calming nerves as well. Choose a comfortable outfit in advance. If you aren’t familiar with the location of the interview, give yourself plenty of time to find it or do a trial run a day or two before. Make sure to factor in traffic conditions especially if you are in the capital city like Lusaka and find a place to park beforehand if needed.

If your interview will be over a video platform, make sure you have installed any apps you’ll need and have your electrical gadgets charged with a power bank and alternative internet on standby if your first network fails you. Test out tech like your webcam, microphone, and headphones in advance to confirm everything is in working order.

A well-prepared interviewee has an immediate advantage in an interview. Feeling prepared will also build confidence and reduce anxiety. Bring everything you might need for an in-person interview, including a resume, cover letter, licenses, certifications, pen and notepad.

No matter how much you prepare in advance, you will likely still feel nervous during the interview. But this is completely normal. If you feel your anxiety mounting during your discussion with a prospective employer, there are strategies you can employ to calm your nerves. Don’t succumb to the pressure as sometimes you can be grilled to see how well you handle stress. If you notice yourself succumbing and asking yourself if you are good enough for the position, remind yourself that other candidates were likely treated the same way.

Interviews are not just for the potential employer – they are also an opportunity for you to get to know the company. You are deciding whether you want to work for them just as much as they are deciding whether they want you to work for them.

Anxiety has a way of peeking out even when you think that you have it well-hidden. If you find yourself fidgeting, do something to release anxious energy that will be less noticeable, such as taking few deep breaths.

Remember you don’t have to answer questions immediately after the interviewer asks. Pause before answering to collect your thoughts. You can also deflect the question back to the interviewer to make sure you understood it and to give you extra time to compose your reply.

If you worry about drawing a blank during interviews, take notes as your interviewer speaks. This takes the focus off of you and allows you to refer to your notes after a question is asked. If you draw a blank, continue to take notes and say you want to collect your thoughts before responding. Those who are conducting your interview have all been interviewees at one point, and know how anxiety-producing an interview can be. Chances are, they’ll be sympathetic no matter how your interview went.

Regardless of how you felt the interview went, congratulate yourself afterward for taking the chance. Do something to reward yourself such as meeting a friend for tea or watching a feel good documentary or movie or having ice-cream or a good game of soccer or chess for sports lovers.

Be kind to yourself — if you wouldn’t put down a friend after an interview, why would you put yourself down? Be proud knowing that each time you face your fears, you’re becoming more resilient to them, no matter what the outcome is.

Part of the reason people may struggle with anxiety before an interview isn’t necessarily because anxiety is present, but rather it’s because they’re fighting with anxiety. One way to stop fighting with anxiety is to “normalize” it, which means to understand and appreciate why anxiety has a reason to be here. There is nothing wrong about feeling anxious before an interview. We tend to feel anxious about things we care about a lot. If you care a lot about your favorite football team winning the Premier League, you would likely feel anxious about your team losing. If we care a lot about a job, then it’s normal to feel anxious. Even confident people will still feel anxious about a job that they really care about. The more you care, the more anxious you feel.

Prepare for interviews by role-playing with people you trust. After the mock interview, consider your strengths and where you can improve. Also, notice how you felt during different points of the interview. Ask for feedback. It is possible that your nervousness is less apparent than you think. Practice monitoring your tone, body language, and eye contact.

Prepare yourself for discomfort (for example, when you don’t know an answer to a question) by using silence to your advantage. Take a breath. You can show confidence during silence by saying ‘That is an important question. I need a moment to consider it.’ Discuss possibilities with your friend—what is the worst that could happen during the interview, and what can you do to help yourself through it? You can also show up wearing your best corporate attire. Looking good can boost your confidence, as they say, dress for success.

Most of the time, your perception of the interview process and its outcome is what’s causing you to be anxious. So as much as possible, before the interview, remind yourself that you wouldn’t have been invited by the employer if you were not fit for the role. Remember that the company is already considering you as someone eligible for the position.

When we’re anxious about an interview, it is often because we’re anticipating the intense scrutiny and pressure of being judged. It is helpful to remember that an interview is not just about employers figuring out a candidate—it’s also a chance for a candidate to discern if a company is worth working for. As a candidate at an interview, you’ve already earned some degree of recognition within your field.

Tell yourself, ‘They don’t want to have to work hard to get me to open up. Instead, I’ll show up like I would a friend who wants some help from me. Open, present, curious and with my unique perspective ready to be shared.’ This keeps your focus on them and not on you. Many interviewers make their decisions in the first few minutes or even seconds of meeting a person. So if you are carrying that happiness with you-even if it’s not for the interview itself-it will be felt.

Build rapport by looking the interviewer straight in the eye and shaking their hand. Make sure your body language doesn’t undermine the impression you are trying to convey. That means sitting up straight and staying as pleasant as possible throughout the interview. Granted, these are all subtle cues, but the interviewer will definitely pick up on them.

So many of us get anxious when interviewing for a job. It can feel like a lot of pressure, hopes are high, and the fear of failure can be high too. Instead of focusing on all the things that could go wrong and the fear of not getting the job, try reframing your thoughts from a different perspective. What do you think the job interviewer is hoping for? Do you think they want you to fail so they aren’t able to fill the position and must take time out of their schedule to continue interviewing candidates? Or do you think they’re hoping that you’ll be qualified for the position and want to join the company?

By using a statement to focus on, such as “I’m going to be the solution to their problem,” you can remind yourself that they want you to be a candidate they can hire. They have a problem (a current job opening) and they’ve set time aside to meet with you because they think you are the solution (a great candidate they can hire), so take a few deep breaths and give it your best shot.

Seek help when in need, visit a counsellor near you!

About the author

Aka Monde, is a licensed Professional Counsellor who holds a Master of Science in Counselling from the University of Zambia. She believes in the adage “a problem shared, is a problem half solved.” Speak to your pastor, church elder, elderly family member or see a professional counsellor when in need.

Email: [email protected]