Mind Management To Ace An Interview

For most of us, the word ‘interview’ can make us feel like an object in the marketplace, ready to be judged by others. Approaching the interview process with such thoughts can quickly create anxious feelings.

If not managed well, we can get hijacked by worst-case scenarios and quickly lose perspective. Thus, negatively impacting our preparation and our performance in the interview. However, it doesn’t have to be this way if we adopt a mindful approach.

1. Anchoring yourself in the present moment to calm your nerves: Body Scan- Giving attention to each part of the body from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. Acknowledging and focussing on letting go of any tension whilst doing the exercise.

Using your senses - Use your senses to ground yourself in the present moment. For example, you can challenge yourself to observe and describe five things that you can see or close your eyes and pick up five sounds that you can hear.

Breathing– You can use a simple yet powerful technique: box breathing. It involves emptying your lungs first, then inhaling to the count of 4, hold to the count of 4, exhale to the count of 4, hold to the count of 4. Repeat it as many times as you like! 2. Approach it with curiosity & befriend fear Viewing an interview as an exploratory meeting where the interviewer wants to know more about you, your skills, and your personality just like you want to learn more about the company, the role and its value. So that it’s a good fit! This approach will help you to be preparation driven rather than being driven by the outcome. It’s not about winning or losing but showing up to explore. 3. Handling the awkward moments Awkward moments are common and can be seen as an opportunity to show our authentic selves and connect with others. That is what being human is all about – imperfection! For example, if your mind goes blank, you can be honest and say that you have lost your train of thought and that the question can be repeated. It's all about your approach...