7 Questions To Help Calm Your Nerves Before An Interview + A Powerful Printable To Share

By Shea Ki

I often hear my clients who have an interview coming up ask me:

How will I remember what I'm suppose to say?

What if I get off track or my mind goes blank?

Why did I think I could do this?

These types of questions are normal to have, but they also increase our stress and block us from putting our best first impression forward.
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So how do get the butterflies to stop multiplying in our stomach? The good thing about thoughts is that once we discover that they are not serving us, we can choose to change them.

When there is a big opportunity coming our way, our nervous system kicks into high gear. It often tries to protect us from change by amplifying our self-doubt and tossing worst-case scenarios at us. You can flip the script inside your head and explore your next career move in a more positive way. 

When you notice self-chatter in your mind before an interview, choose thoughts that will raise your vibration, not knock it down.

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I've seen with clients how answering these 7 questions for themselves boosts their chances of shining in the hot seat.

1) What is my WHY? 
Getting clear about your mission moves you past fear of failure faster. Think about what life experiences and lessons learned have brought you this far.

​Let yourself see and feel the rewards of obtaining your career goals and impacting others. 
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Often times, when we allow ourselves several minutes to reconnect with our passion for taking this brave step forward, negative outcomes in our mind start to fade. Seeing ourselves moving closer to work that we enjoy becomes the only option.

2) When have I felt confident before?  
When we are about to share our professional value, especially in an interview, our imperfections can feel like they are under a microscope. You can defend against this common problem of shrinking confidence that often gets worse as the interview nears.

Plug into the details of previous stories of success when things did play out the way you wanted. Remember the positive energy of what it felt like to ace that test, deliver on a tight deadline, score that goal, get a raise, or land your last job.

​Instead of hashing out in your mind your weaknesses that you hope go unnoticed, think about recent praise, positive comments, or other achievements you have been a part of.

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​3) Who has my back? 
Going to an interview can feel lonely.  It can be hard to resist the urge to check social media and our text messages a bunch of times. Instead of giving in to these temptations that often get our focus and positivity off track, start reminding yourself who is on your side. 

You are not walking into this interview experience alone. Think of the spirit or smiling face of every person that has sent a good wish for your future your way. Write down this list and put it in your smart phone or purse. When you need an extra power boost before your big moment, take the list out and send gratitude in your mind to each of them.

​Choosing to tune into the feeling of how it feels to be supported will help you turn down the volume on worries, doubts, and fears in your mind. 

4) What self-care have I given myself recently? 
I've noticed as a hiring manager and as a holistic career coach that most people think they should wait until AFTER the interview to reward themselves. I stand firm with my clients that this often leads to a less than spectacular interview experience.

Self-care is a secret ingredient of interview success that too many people skip. ​

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​We are often taught from a  young age that it's better to not treat ourselves until we have reached our goal. This only adds more pressure and often brings us to an interview performance feeling tired and overburdened.

​The more you let yourself do a few things that you enjoy during the process of preparing for your interview, the more refreshed and engaging you will be in the hot seat.

5) When did I last use my top strengths? 
Another way to put your energy more towards positivity rather than doubt is to consider who looks up to you and why. Allow yourself to list off the attributes that others see in you instead of sitting there mulling over how you are not qualified for this opportunity.
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It is worth finding out your top professional strengths from an objective source, too. For the cost of a few cups of coffee, invest in taking the Gallup Strengthsfinder 2.0 and uncover your Top 5 natural talents. Share this information with a colleague or career coach who is helping you with your career goals.

​Give yourself a few minutes to dive into the report you get after the assessment and think about results at work that have happened because of your list of strengths. 

6) What do I want my work day to feel like? 
Often we get so caught in getting to the next big goal and a steady paycheck that what we actually WANT gets put aside. This only leads to disappointment and sometimes burn-out at the new job if we didn't take the time to draw healthy boundaries.

​You deserve to work in an environment that you care about and that cares about you. What would that look like to you? How does that feel when you go in on a Monday morning? 

Draw a picture in your mind (or even better, do this on paper!) of what are your non-negotiables in your daily routine to thrive at work.

Is there a place to take walk at your break everyday? How important is it to you to be near fresh juice and restaurants that serve nurturing foods for lunch? How often and what type of feedback do you prefer to get from co-workers and your manager?
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The more you can give attention to the details of what you need to do your best work, the better your can answer questions at your interview with confidence.

​7) Why not me?
What if you looked at your self-doubts from a new angle? Let go of trying to figure out all the reasons a better future at work is not likely to happen, if even for just a few minutes. Feel how your energy shifts when you put attention into the opposite argument.

What if you are the right fit for this opportunity? What does it look like to be the one to move forward? How does it feel for them to understand and embrace your professional value?
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​Jim Rohn's video says it best and is worth a few minutes of your time to listen to it now. I hope it gets you thinking about the amazing things that can happen when you pledge to yourself that you will not loose faith in YOUR abilities.

Time To Align

Ready to upgrade your interview pre-game? This 2 page Powerful Printable offers you space to write down your thoughts or doodles about each of these questions. ​

Download Printable

​Taking 10-15 minutes to ask yourself these seven questions before your interview will transform the nervous energy about your interview into engaging, confident vibes.

So go grab that cup of tea or coffee and take this printable to a place you enjoy that would allow you to fill it out uninterrupted.

This type of activity builds up your inner, positive momentum. It's these small steps that attracts more opportunity and boosts your clarity of what next best career step to take. 

Thanks To YOU!

Speaking of wonderful momentum, Upgrade My Interview continues to grow in thrilling leaps and bounds thanks to you sharing this resource with friends and family. I have also enjoyed meeting new clients, followers, and colleagues who read my published piece earlier this month on Thrive Global. 

​Did you also notice more sparkle here on the website and in my Instagram story lately? That's from the new makeover on my logo! It has been inspiring to support many spiritually-minded, talented women this past year with my coaching packages.  

​Seeing so much courage to change in my clients motivates me to keep walking my talk and polishing up my own message of professional value. 

It is my honor to support your journey to upgrade your mindset, body language, and energy so you can offer more of your gifts to the world of work. 

Your turn: Share in the comments with me below what energy shift you feel as you allow yourself a few minutes to fill out the Powerful Printable with the 7 Questions To Help Calm My Nerves Before An Interview. 

Most of all, believe in you.

If you are new visitor to Upgrade My Interview, welcome!
​Let me catch you up on some of my recent posts, videos, + resources for you:
22 Mindset Mantras For Your Best Interview Ever + Video
​Is Your Body Language Helping Or Harming Your Interview? +Video
Your Checklist For A Successful Interview + Printable

About the author:

Did you enjoy this post? My name is Shea Ki and I invite you to join my mission to end the interview struggle for talented women. My coaching sessions help you shine in the hot seat and attract work that lights you up. 

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