Congratulations - you’ve been invited to interview! Now all you have to do is… do it. Pre-interview nerves are extremely common and even the most experienced professionals still get a touch of nerves. This is our strategy (and a few bonus tips!) to help you walk in feeling confident, relaxed, and ready for anything whether it is your first interview ever or your tenth!
It might be the oldest trick in the book but it’s there for a reason - even if you aren’t going to be quizzed on the company the moment you walk in, having a wealth of knowledge about the role responsibilities, the company itself, and even your own history is worth the time spent on it.
A lot of nervous energy comes from worrying about what if - what if they ask me something I don't know the answer to, what if I accidentally answer with a competitor's statistics, what if my mind goes blank?
Preparation is the first defence. Prepare lists of common interview questions and plan your answers to them, think about how you can tweak answers for specific roles you are going for, and remember to practice them! Whether you keep the list electronically on our phone or pull out the old school paper flash cards.
An added benefit of good preparation is that the effort is cumulative - while the specific stats may change, building your knowledge and comfort with interview style questions will pay dividends not just in your next interview but internal EOI’s, promotion discussions, and future performance reviews. Plus, it gets easier the more times you do it!
Top Tip: preparation isn’t just about knowing your growth percentages or proposed new locations, it’s also about knowing if you can park close by or if public transport is a better option. Scope it all out beforehand, maybe even plan out your arrival so you can be sure you’ll get there on time on the day.
Knowing the right level of friendliness versus polite and professional is often a balancing act. You can take your lead from your interviewer. If they’re very formal and strict then follow suit, but if they’re a little more casual then you can be too.
Top Tip: even if your interviewers are very casual - there’s a limit to how casual you should be. It’s a good idea to play it safe, while you do want to let your personality show a little, remember that you’re looking to make a good impression. And want to be remembered for the right reasons.
What about the dress code? You can always ask ahead of time via email or a phone call, but if no information is forthcoming it’s best to opt for something clean and neat. If the interview includes a live site visit, they should let you know in advance if site gear like steel caps are required.
You don’t have to be over the top to be seen as friendly - just smiling, paying attention to the small talk as well as the interview itself, and treating everyone (i.e. the interview panel, your fellow applicants, and the administration support staff as well) with the same level of kindness and respect will go a long way to a good impression.
Most nerves are just excitement and doubt - a sense of worry or concern over how you will perform. You can prevent yourself from slipping into panic by employing these strategies from the beginning - before you even start to worry.
1. Remember - they have invited you here because they think you might be a good fit, you’re already in the good books! They’re not there to try and trick you - you’re there to give them even more reasons to hire you.
2. Breathe - if you feel yourself starting to worry while you wait, take calm and even breaths. Count to three as you breathe in, and three as you breathe out. These aren’t very long breaths, but keeping them smooth and even is the key.
3. Focus - when you notice your train of thought heading down the panic track (thoughts like ‘I’m not good enough’, ‘you’re going to stuff this up’, etc) address it and deliberately turn your mind to something else. A common example is to actively say to yourself, “No, I’m not doing that, I’m going over my answers instead”, and then focusing on some of the answers you’ve prepared earlier. Learn what works for you
and keep it in your back pocket ready to go if you need it.
Top Tip: everyone knows what it’s like to interview - the people who are interviewing you will know that applicants get nervous. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and you’re definitely not the only nervous person they’ll interview. How you deal with your nerves is more important than not getting nervous at all.
There are an almost infinite number of interview situations that we could cover but by following these tips and hints you can be ready to face pretty much any of them. Remember, they’ve asked to meet you because they have a good feeling about you, you’ve already got your foot in the door. If you don’t win this particular position, it is always good practice for the next one - we all get better with practice.
Bonus tip: always take the glass of water - but take small sips. If you don’t end up needing it then no harm no foul - but if you do get a tickle in your throat mid-interview you’ll be forever glad you have the option.
13 Mar 2025