Dear Career Coach

I was in my last job for almost ten years before I decided to leave and find a more stimulating position. I am feeling very nervous about going on interviews after such a long time out of the job market. I really want to use this opportunity to move up the ladder and don’t want my nerves to get in the way. What can you advise?

If it’s any consolation (and it probably isn’t) feeling nervous or anxious about interviews is perfectly normal. It can be quite terrifying to have to explain yourself to new people and to impress someone who has no idea of who you are.

However, the good news is that there are several things that you can do before and during your upcoming interviews that will help to calm your jitters.

Before stepping anywhere near the interviewers, the most important thing you can do to allay your anxieties is to prepare. The more time you spend learning about the organisation and the role you are being considered for, the less worried you will be about the meeting. By the way, it is important to think of any interview as a meeting where both you and the organisation will be discussing and evaluating whether the company and job role are right for you.

Preparing effectively means researching what the company does, who its clients are and how it sees its mission and strategy. Inform yourself about any recent developments that may have taken place in the business or events in the industry that may have an impact on it. Also research yourself i.e. have a clear understanding and be ready to talk about your skills and strengths in relation to the role and how your past experience supports this. Think of questions you would like to ask about the position, the culture of the company, any development opportunities they offer and what the key priorities of the role will entail.

Planning your wardrobe and your route well ahead of time and arriving early will also help to make you feel less nervous, so allow plenty of time for travelling.

Before going in, practice breathing deeply to help calm your nerves and during the interview, try to speak slowly and clearly, taking no more than a couple of minutes to answer each question. This will allow the interviewer to probe more deeply if they want to follow up on anything you’ve said.

Be ready to be asked about anything on your CV or application form and prepare examples of achievements that relate to the job criteria and competencies so that you are able to fluently articulate your past relevant experience.

Stay positive about your past organisation and why you have decided to move on and demonstrate what this new role will offer you in terms of your professional development and growth.

To help you feel more relaxed and engaged with the person interviewing you, keep focused on the conversation and inject a bit of appropriate humour to help lighten the atmosphere, if needed. Try to show enthusiasm, keeping your answers upbeat and showing how you can add value to the role and organisation.

In many ways interviews are a performance and if you remember that even Oscar-winning actors can get very nervous before performing, you shouldn’t feel bad about it happening to you. Just learn your lines and walk tall and your jitters are bound to disappear.

All the best!