Probably one of the most nerve racking experiences for many people can be a job interview.  It is right up there with a visit to the dentist for a root canal or public speaking in front of a large audience.  When you sit there across the desk of a person asking lots of questions all the while analyzing and scrutinizing you, it is very easy to become nervous.  As it becomes clear that this person could hold your future fate in his or her hands, the tension builds. 

Actually, your future may depend more on you and the way you present yourself in a job interview?   The level of nervousness you experience and show during the interview may actually have a huge effect on whether you go to the next level or not.  There are ways to help control your nervousness and to perform at your best so you are able to focus on your attributes and job qualifications and minimize the sweat rolling off your forehead. 

1.  it’s important to build confidence in your own mind as much as possible.  One way of doing this is to talk positive self-talk to yourself that will help dispel any potential negative feelings or insecurities as you proceed through the interview.  Think about the fact that you were picked over potentially numerous others to be interviewed.  Something positive about your employment qualifications on your resume or job application stood-out for the person reviewing a potential large stack of resumes.  If you mentally repeat this fact to yourself throughout the interview, you will gain great confidence. 

2.  When you show up for your interview, the last thing you need to have your mind on is your attire. May sure you dress appropriately with nice, neat and clean clothes that are not too loud and overstated.  Always be neatly groomed, showered and prepared to take on the world. 

3.  Make sure you get a good night’s sleep prior to your interview.  You need to be sharp for your job interview; no late television watching the night before.  It is easy to get nervous and not be able sleep the night before.  If this happens to you, simply continue to tell yourself that just to get to this level of the interview says a lot about you and your abilities.  Don’t drink coffee or tea containing caffeine the afternoon and evening before your interview.  There are several foods that can help you fall asleep naturally.  Bananas, almonds, tart cherries, miso soup and dairy products will all either help your body produce the sleep hormone melatonin or provide potassium, magnesium and amino acids that help induce sleep.

4. Exercise produces feel-good endorphins in your brain and can lead to a much more positive, confident and resultant strong interview.  Do you remember that euphoric feeling you get after a good workout? You can take that feeling directly into an interview with you.  If you are physically able, try to get a vigorous workout routine in as close to the interview as possible.  Of course remember to shower and cleanup properly after your workout.

5.  This goes without saying, but you’d be surprised at how many individuals actually forget to do this simple daily task prior to walking into an interview.  Always eat a good balanced and healthy meal prior to the interview. You need food to produce energy and energy to think properly.  Be careful not to overeat or eat a heavy carbohydrate and fat meal.  Stick with brain power producing vegetables and fruits and some protein and steer away from Big Macs and fries.

6.  Do your homework and know the company you are applying for employment at.  Do your online research; go through every inch of their website and know their business model and mission statement.  Seek-out third party blogs and other discussion forums that may discuss the company and client’s experience with it. 

7.  Actors practice and have dress rehearsals.  So why shouldn’t you?  A great way to prepare for an interview and to help eliminate the butterflies in the stomach is to have a friend or family member do a mock interview with you.  Hand them a list of the common interview questions a typical interviewer will ask. 

8.   Always be prepared for the typical questions an interviewer will ask.  Such questions as: What value can you bring to our company? Why do you want to leave your current employer?  Tell me about a situation that was stressful that you had to handle and what you did?  Why do you want to work for our company? 

9. Prepare a list of questions to ask your interviewer.  Such questions as:  How long has your company been in business?  Is there growth in your industry?  What do you attribute the success of your company to?  What are the most important things I need to learn about this job in the first few months?