How to boost your confidence before an interview

Feeling nervous about an upcoming interview? Here are some quick tips to boost your confidence and calm your nerves before an interview.

Mindfulness

Make time for a quick 5 to 10 minute meditation the morning before your interview. This will clear your head and get you feeling nice and calm, as well as focusing your attention on the task ahead. You could try an app like Headspace or Calm, or search YouTube for a confidence boosting meditation for free.

A short walk around the block could have a similar effect. Unplug from your current job for a few minutes before your interview and allow your attention to shift on to the task ahead.

Positive self-talk

Make sure you are talking yourself up in your head! It might sound silly (or even impossible), but going into an interview with a negative mindset isn't going to help you appear confident or set you up for success. As part of your interview prep, try writing down a list of the things you excel at that make you suitable for this job, and go in remembering how capable you are. After all, they wouldn't be interviewing you if you weren't!

Lots of us have learnt to live with a self-depricating voice inside our heads and we need to employ some serious and intentional self-belief to manifest career confidence. Take a moment to really embody believing in yourself. Imagine what your best friend might say to you in this moment: you've got this!

If you want to tackle these negative thinking patterns long term, seeking out some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy could help.

Eat breakfast

Make sure you have something to eat on the day of your interview, feed your body and your brain nutrionally dense foods to keep your energy up, and don't drink too much coffee. Studies show people who drink tea have a more stable energy and are more productive than those who drink coffee. Stay hydrated with a glass of water by your side in the morning.

Power poses

The power posing craze stems from Amy Cuddy's 2012 Ted Talk on how our body language can change other people's perceptions of us, and even our own body cheminstry, by changing our position. Cuddy conducted a study at Harvard that showed participants who adopted power poses for 2 minutes felt more confident than those who took on closed postures. Take a few moments to adopt a powerful, expansive posture (for example, hands on hips, chest out, chin up, feet apart) and soak up the feeling of strength.

Dress for success

Put on an outfit that makes you feel comfortable and confident. Even if your interview is via video in your living room, don't stay in your slippers. Put on a whole suit or a smart dress and a jacket, including shoes! Power dressing can give you a real boost and it's also a mark of respect to your interviewers, telling them that you are serious and enthusiastic about the role.

Reward yourself

Plan a treat for yourself for after the interview regardless of how it goes. You could take yourself out for coffee, have dinner with a friend, or stream a movie at the end of the day. Give yourself something to look forward to after your hard work. You deserve it!

Call your recruiter

If you're nervous, your recruiter can help you prepare and let you know what kinds of questions you'll need to be ready for, so you can be well prepared in advance.

If you'd like some help preparing for an interview, give us a call on 0207 117 2542, email us at jobs@ajfoxcompliance.com, or message us on LinkedIn. Yes, we'll support you even if we're not representing you!


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