How to Reduce Job Interview Stress

Preparation is the key to minimizing job interview nervousness. If you prepare everything possible at least the day before the interview, you’ll be able to focus on the answering interview questions well and avoid worrying about anything else on that day.

1. Collect all of your job search documents. Gather together and make several copies of any job search documents you want to bring to the job interview. This may include your resume, cover letter, reference pages, performance reviews, reference letters, diplomas and anything other documents the employer may ask to see.

2. Gather together and try on all of the clothes that you’ll wear to the interview. Ensure that your job interview attire fits well and is in good condition. Discovering a stain on your best pair of pants on the day of the interview is a source of stress that is completely avoidable. Trying on all of your clothes well in advance so you’ll have time to fix any problems before the day of the interview will eliminate a potential source of job interview stress.

3. Go to the location where the interview will be held, particularly if you have never been there. Use whatever transportation you will use to get to the interview and try to go at about the same time of day as your job interview is scheduled. If you do this, you’ll know what traffic is like at that time of day, how long it will take to get there, where to park, whether you need money for parking meters if you’re driving, or which, if any transfers you’ll have to make if you are taking public transportation. You don’t want to worry about those things on the day of the interview, so work all of that out before your interview.

4. Research the company. Have a look at the company website or promotional materials, or, better yet, if you know someone who works there already, ask that person about the company. Try to get a sense of the company’s priorities and, if possible, try to understand what, exactly, the company is looking for in new staff members.

5. Practice answering interview questions. Require yourself to come up with good answers for the questions that you find most difficult. Sit with a supportive friend or family member and run through a mock interview so you can practice saying your answers to tough job interview questions out loud.

6. Set aside plenty of time for the interview. If the receptionist told you that the interview would be approximately 30 minutes, set aside at least 60 minute for the interview. Avoid scheduling any important meetings immediately after the interview. If a job interview goes long, that’s a good sign. You don’t want to be worried about picking up a child from school or getting to an appointment on time while you are in the middle of your interview.

7. Keep things in perspective. Remember, the employer wants to get this position filled, and he or she is hoping that you will be the right person for the job. You are not going there begging for a job, you are going there help them solve a problem for the employer. That is, if the company is hiring, that means there is an important role that is not currently filled; you are going there to show them that you have all of the skills and experience required to meet their needs. You will probably never completely eliminate nervousness before a job interview, and that’s fine. Employers expect a certain amount of nervousness. However, if you prepare everything you can in advance , you will avoid plenty of distractions and common sources of job interview stress and minimize your feelings of nervousness.

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How To Overcome Shyness

Shyness is usually experienced when one is in a tight situation like facing strangers and having to speak in public. There are no instant cures for shyness. Shy people can overcome shyness by managing shyness.
Practice self-therapy by writing down thoughts and fears. Examine your diary for the root of your shyness. It may be due to a situation. This is situational shyness and can be managed by finding ways to deal with the situation so that the stress is diffused and the shyness is elevated. Dealing with the causes of shyness removes the situation where shyness was.
Another way of managing shyness is to create a you who isn't shy. Forget about yourself to forget your self-conscious shyness. Prepare your speech and actions for any up-coming stressful event. Preparation will boost your confidence and remove or reduce shyness.
Make a list of conversational topics for coffee table talk. Its good to keep the talk going on neutral grounds that you feel safe on. You can talk about areas which you are knowledgeable in. Shy people can talk about their hobbies or other pet topics. It breaks the ice for them.
Shy people frighten off prospective friends. They tend to be quiet and withdrawn and this creates the wrong impression of aloofness. Manage this by remembering to smile, shake hands, listen and respond to people. Even if you can't find common ground to join into the conversation, nod your head or say some engaging remarks to agree with the other person and encourage him to talk on. Ask questions about the other person to keep the focus away from yourself.
When you find that you can trust the other person, explain that you're shy. Others will only be too eager to help you out in social situations. In fact, most people will become protective of their shy ward.
Set realistic goals to overcome shyness. It can't be overcome in a single day. As small steps and realistic goals are accomplished, the tip of the iceberg is cracked and slowly, shyness will melt away. It takes work to overcome shyness but the rewards are life enriching.
Contributed by ZakiAnwar PGDM Sem-III

Get Ahead with 'The 10 Step Interview Guide'...

'The 10 Step Interview Guide' Was Written By A Seasoned Recruitment Professional Who Has Interviewed Many 100s Of Candidates And Employed Well Over 200 People Over The Last 15 Years.

His Knowledge Is Condensed Concisely Into This Handbook In An Interesting, Friendly And Compelling Manner Which Will, Without Doubt, Significantly Improve Your Chance Of Success In Any Interview Situation. The Subjects Covered Include:

The Interview Process
Research: The Importance Of It And How To Do It
Being Positive And Confident
Preparation - The Day Before
Preparation - On The Day
How To Handle The Interview
Your 'Presentation'
Interview Questions (Yours And Theirs)
Closing The Interview
Your Follow Up
Interview Rules-
You hear all sorts of rules about job interviews:
• People decide about you in the first 10 seconds
• You have to make a good first impression
• Always ask insightful questions
• Learn as much as you can about the company
• They'll probably ask questions designed to trip you up
• Have some quick answers to interview questions at the ready

Tips regarding Dressing Up and Grooming Yourself before going for an Interview.

MEN:

• Most authoritative colours for Suits: Navy Blue / Grey / Black
  Wool – Wool blend.
  Trousers straight or Lappered.
  No tight clothes because tight clothes magnify the weight problems.
• Shirts should be of white or light colour to offset the suit, cotton or cotton blend. No shiny or see through material.
• A Tie is must. Tip of the tie should touch the belt. It should not be longer or shorter . The thin end should not show below the broad end of the tie. If it happens, don’t hide in your trouser but put inside in your shirt between the buttons. Never wear a spoilt or dirty tie.
• No gold chains or bracelets and no finger Rings, no stone or gems.
• Don’t use too much or strong fragrance.
• Nails should be cleaned and well shaped. Looks should be clean and well shaved.

WOMEN:

• Wear according to the Organization's Work Culture. For Example, wear what an Airline has in its uniform in case of Aviation Industry.
• Any coloured skirt or jacket. No pants or jeans. Don’t wear too long or too short skirts. Idealy the skirt should end slightly above the knees.
• A scarf, if worn, should be brightly coloured, contradicting to suit.
  Stockings is important. It gives the legs better shape and also make the attire look complete. Wearing such suit without stockings give a naked look.
• Plain pair of pump (soft and shiny leather shoes) with heels should be polished.
• Do not use torn stockings.
• Feet should be cleaned with painted nails.
• While taking height & weight measurements you may be asked to remove your shoes. If stockings have any hole or feet smell , you know what will happen to you.
• Carry a colourless nail polish with you.
• Wax your legs. Hair can definitely be seen through stockings.
  Manicure your finger nails and paint them before going to Iinterview. Your hands are constantly on display as you are greeting people, serving food, clearing trays and demonstrating of emergency equipments. Dirty bitten nails give negative impression. No chiped nail polish.

Hair: Short hair or blunt cut etc. Easy to manage and have a neat look to it. Long hair should be tied with clip etc.

• No toe ring. Jewellery should be of one metal either gold or silver.

• MAKE UP: Match the foundation to the skin colour . No Pancake make up that seems as if you are hiding some scar or blemishes on your face and looks artificial and ugly. Highlight your eyes and lips . Use Eye-liner and kajal. Do not wear green, blue and grey contact lenses at interview. It looks Artificial and Cheap. Natural eye colour contact lenses are best. Use a matching lipstick.
• Attend to personal cleanliness to prevent perspiration , Body and Breath odours, and Remember you are never completely dressed unless you wear a SMILE :-)

Posted By Groomers Club PGDM Sem-I

Avoid These 10 Interview Bloopers

Poor Handshake: The Three-Second Handshake That Starts The Interview Is Your First Opportunity To Create A Great Impression. But All Too Often An Interview Is Blown Right From The Start By An Ineffective Handshake. Once you’ve delivered a Poor Handshake, It's Nearly Impossible to Recover Your Efforts to Build Rapport. Here Are Some Examples:

• The Limp Hand (Or "Dead Fish"): Gives The Impression Of Disinterest Or Weakness
• The Tips of the Fingers: Shows Lack of Ability to Engage.
• The Arm Pump: Sincerity Is Questionable, Much Like An Overly Aggressive Salesman.

Even If You're A Seasoned Professional, Don't Assume You Have Avoided These Pitfalls. Your Handshake May Be Telling More About You Than You Know. Ask For Honest Critiques From Several Friends Who Aren't Afraid To Tell You The Truth.

Talking Too Much: In My Recruiting Days, I Abhorred Over-Talkative Candidates. So Did Most Of My Client Employers. Over-Talking Takes A Couple Of Forms:

• Taking Too Long To Answer Direct Questions. The Impression: This Candidate Just Can't Get To The Point.
• Nervous Talkers. The Impression: This Candidate Is Covering Up Something Or Is Outright Lying.

To Avoid Either Of These Forms Of Over-Talking; Practice Answering Questions In A Direct Manner. Avoid Nervous Talking By Preparing For Your Interview with Role-Play

Talking Negatively About Current Or Past Employers/Managers: The Fastest Way To Talk Yourself Out Of A New Job Is To Say Negative Things. Even If Your Last Boss Was Attila The Hun, Never, Never State Your Ill Feelings About Him/Her. No Matter How Reasonable Your Complaints, You Will Come Out The Loser If You Show That You Disrespect Your Boss Because The Interviewer Will Assume That You Would Similarly Trash Him Or Her. When Faced With The Challenge Of Talking About Former Employers, Make Sure You Are Prepared With A Positive Spin On Your Experiences.

Showing Up Late Or Too Early: One Of The First Lessons In Job-Search Etiquette Is To Show Up On Time For Interviews. Many Job-Seekers Don't Realize, However, That Showing Up Too Early Often Creates A Poor First Impression As Well. Arriving More Than 10 Minutes Early For An Interview Is A Dead Giveaway That The Job Seeker Has Too Much Time On His Or Her Hands, Much Like The Last One Picked For The Softball Team. Don't Diminish Your Candidate Desirability By Appearing Desperate. Act As If Your Time Were As Valuable As The Interviewer's. Always Arrive On Time, But Never More Than 10 Minutes Early.

Treating The Receptionist Rudely: Since The First Person You Meet On An Interview Is Usually A Receptionist, This Encounter Represents The First Impression You'll Make. Don't Mistake Low Rank For Low Input. Often That Receptionist's Job Is To Usher You Into Your Interview. The Receptionist Has the Power to Pave Your Way Positively Or Negatively Before You Even Set Eyes On The Interviewer. The Interviewer May Also Solicit The Receptionist's Opinion Of You After You Leave.

Asking About Benefits, Vacation Time or Salary: What If A Car Salesman Asked To See Your Credit Report Before Allowing You To Test Drive The Cars? That Would Be Ridiculous, And You'd Walk Away In Disgust. The Effect Is About The Same When A Job-Seeker Asks About Benefits Or Other Employee Perks During The First Interview. Wait Until You've Won The Employer Over Before Beginning That Discussion.

Not Preparing For The Interview: Nothing Communicates Disinterest Like A Candidate Who Hasn't Bothered To Do Pre-Interview Research. On The Flip Side, The Quickest Way To A Good Impression Is To Demonstrate Your Interest With A Few Well Thought Out Questions That Reflect Your Knowledge Of Their Organization. [Editor's Note: To Ensure That You Are Prepared.

Verbal Ticks: An Ill-At-Ease Candidate Seldom Makes A Good Impression. The First Signs Of Nervousness Are Verbal Ticks. We All Have Them From Time To Time -- "Umm," "Like," "You Know." Ignore The Butterflies In Your Stomach And Put Up A Front Of Calm Confidence By Avoiding Verbal Ticks. You Can Also Sometimes Avoid Verbal Ticks By Pausing For A Few Seconds To Gather Your Thoughts Before Each Response.

One Of The Best Ways To Reduce Or Eliminate Them Is Through Role-Play. Practice Sharing Your Best Success Stories Ahead of Time, And You'll Feel More Relaxed during the Real Interview.

Not Enough/Too Much Eye Contact: Either Situation Can Create A Negative Effect. Avoid Eye Contact and You'll Seem Shifty, Untruthful, Or Disinterested; Offer Too Much Eye Contact, And You'll wear the Interviewer Out. If You Sometimes Have Trouble With Eye-Contact Balance, Work This Issue Out Ahead Of Time In An Interview Practice Session With A Friend.

Failure To Match Communication Styles: It's Almost Impossible To Make A Good First Impression If You Can't Communicate Effectively With An Interviewer. But You Can Easily Change That Situation By Mirroring The Way The Interviewer Treats You. For Instance:

• If The Interviewer Seems All Business, Don't Attempt To Loosen Him/Her Up With A Joke Or Story. Be Succinct And Businesslike
• If The Interviewer Is Personable, Try Discussing His/Her Interests. Often The Items On Display In The Office Can Offer A Clue.
• If Asked A Direct Question, Answer Directly. Then Follow Up By Asking If More Information Is Needed.

Allowing The Interviewer To Set The Tone Of Conversation Can Vastly Improve Your Chances Of Making A Favourable Impression. You Can Put The Interviewer At Ease -- And Make Yourself Seem More Like Him Or Her -- By Mirroring His Or Her Communication Style.

From- Gaurav kumar, Ravi Shukla,Shivani Jain, Vijay, Surya Prakash