5 Tips to Reduce Nerves in a Job Interview

It’s the morning of the big job interview. This position is the job of your dreams. Your nerves have already kicked in and your pulse is quickening. It’s difficult to catch your breath.

This is a natural response to the excitement of a job interview. Let’s discuss a few facts about breathing that may help you conquer the ol’ job interview nerves.

Breathing is fundamental to life. Death occurs if breathing ceases. We are told that proper breathing bridges mind and body during yoga, meditation, and even mindful prayer. Changes in the nervous system alter breathing patterns, leading to inadequate inhalation and exhalation.

Controlled by the autonomic nervous system, breathing is subconscious, automatic and persistent. Regulated by the nerve cells in the brainstem, these cells automatically send signals to the diaphragm and muscles surrounding the ribs (intercostal muscles) causing contraction and relaxation at regular intervals. This allows the movement of air into and out of the lungs.  What we all call breathing!

In circumstances where we do not have control over the situation, such as a job interview, nerves can kick in and alter our breathing patterns. This is a normal stress response. A job candidate can begin shallow breathing, sometimes known as chest breathing. Shallow breathing involves drawing minimal breath into the lungs. The air is drawn into the chest area utilizing the rib muscles (intercostal muscles) instead of using the diaphragm to fill the lungs.The chest visibly rises and falls with the shoulders also rising and falling. Think of it as using only the upper half of your beautiful, high capacity lungs.

Shallow breathing can cause you to take more breaths per minute than you normally would in a more relaxed situation. Job interview nervousness can cause you to speak faster than your usual pace and, in some cases, to speak in an upper vocal register. The shoulders can rise upward and the throat may feel tight. You may not be able to finish your sentences before needing to take another breath. Voice projection may be decreased and may even sound “breathy” or airy to the listener.

Our bodies were designed for diaphragmatic breathing. It is the most efficient method of breathing, powerfully filling our lungs while facilitating precious oxygen perfusion throughout our bodies. This optimal method of breathing uses the diaphragm, a large, dome-shaped muscle located under our lungs. The diaphragm contracts as air is taken into the lungs. The chest does not rise and the belly expands outward.

If you’ve ever watched a little baby breathe, you notice that their belly’s pooch out with each breath. Babies naturally breathe diaphragmatically.  Trained singers also breathe diaphragmatically. That’s how their voices project to hold out those long, power notes. The singer’s shoulders don’t rise and fall with each phrase they sing. They have trained themselves to properly breathe to accommodate their art.

Let’s take a minute and do a deep, diaphragmatic breath. If you practice yoga, you are familiar with this method. Slowly breathe in through your nose and fill your lower lungs with shoulders down, pooching out your tummy. Hold the breath for a count of 3. Now exhale through pursed lips concentrating on relaxing your facial muscles, jaw, and shoulders. Hold the exhalation for a count of 3. How did that feel? If you are a shallow breather, you can teach yourself to breathe diaphragmatically.

Good posture supports proper breathing during your job interview. When seated in a chair, sit with your bottom all the way back in the chair so that you are sitting up straight. Keep the shoulders back and down allowing the chest to be open. Hunching over only squishes your abdomen downward making air exchange more difficult. This posture of confidence allows your breathing to be at optimum capacity, even when nervous. It reinforces a strong voice and proper, full projection. You may be a ball of nerves, but controlling your posture will reinforce your breathing.

Here are a few tips that can support proper breathing and assist in controlling job interview nerves:

1. Research the company

Job interview nerves stem from many factors. One of them may be fear. If interview fear is an issue you are dealing with, be sure to research the company fully. Become familiar with as many facets of the company as possible just in case you are questioned about the organization.

2. Prepare for tough questions

Run through different scenarios in your mind considering difficult questions that may be asked. In your opinion, what would be the most troublesome question you could be asked? Now, think of what your response would be. Adjust your frame of mind to be one that welcomes the challenge of demanding questions. Being caught off guard can tighten your throat and raise your voice, so take a deep breath before answering a tough question. The hiring manager won’t think twice about seeing you take a nice, deep breath.

3. Adjust your frame of mind

The job interview is simply a conversation between you and the hiring manager. Imagine it as being in a coffee shop with a friend, discussing what you’ve been doing with your professional career. Your frame of mind is welcoming challenges and you are allowing yourself to be vulnerable, not defensive, as if awaiting an attack. A conscious, relaxed approach will encourage your body to relax, decreasing the automatic fight or flight stress response.

4. Accept the situation for what it is

Accept the fact that you can only do your best. You’ve done your homework and feel prepared. Enter the interview focused on being fully present, actively listening to what is being said and giving it your personal best. That’s all you can do! Simply accepting the situation as it is will assist with the nervous anxiety.  

5. Give yourself a pep talk and SMILE

Before entering the interview room, stand straight with your shoulders down and take some cleansing breaths, deep into your lungs. Give yourself a little pep talk. You’ve got this! Now smile brightly and get started.

Our bodies are built to respond to stress or any perceived threat. The excitement of a job interview triggers this response. As the pulse quickens, breathing becomes quicker and more shallow. Shallow breathing may affect the quality of voice projection. This vicious cycle can take over and interfere with the best presentation you want to present. We can temper the response to the job interview nerves with mindful thinking and learning to consciously diaphragmatically breathe one lung-full at a time. Aaahhhh…

I offer a free ½ hour introductory job interview coaching session. Contact me today to prepare for your tomorrow!