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How to Deal with Anxiety Before a Job Interview

Whether it is your first application, or you have been a candidate many times over the years, attending a job interview can make people feel incredibly anxious. Not only do you need to make sure you look presentable enough for the hiring company, but you also need to be able to answer the questions correctly and confidently. For some, just knowing they feel anxious can actually make their anxiety even worse. This is where proper planning can really benefit individuals, especially if you suffer from anxiety anyway.

Use Stress Management Techniques

At times, anxiety can be caused by a lot of stress, whether that be the pressure to do well or to financially make ends meet. Rather than allowing that anxiety to take hold and potentially jeopardize your chances of gaining your chosen career, it can instead be a good idea to look into your options. Searching for the ways that you can alleviate stress, and looking into ‘what is MBSR’ and how it can benefit you, both prior to your interview and with general life, is a good place to start. It is important that you do not turn to alcohol or other substances to try and alleviate stress, as these can work as depressants, making you feel even worse afterwards, and also lead to dependence and addiction problems. 

Mind and Body Nutrition

Certain foods can be more or less helpful when it comes to managing anxiety and mental health as a whole. Prior to your job interview, you want to be avoiding foods that are greasy, or can make you feel bloated. For some, anxiety can cause disruption to the stomach and bowels, so healthier foods may be preferred. Studies have shown that certain foods, mainly fruit, vegetables, fatty fish, and foods with high zinc or vitamin B levels, may help to produce more of the happy hormones, dopamine and serotonin, which can lead to you feeling calmer and more in control of your thoughts and feelings. On top of this, you may also look healthier, which can be an added bonus when you attend that interview.

Let it Out

For many people, the opportunity to explore their feelings in a safe and secure environment can help them to find their own solutions. While it can help to speak to a registered therapist, this may not be an option for some. Likewise, many people notice that their partner, family members, or friends, are unable to understand or appreciate those thought processes. When this is the case, you might want to find other ways to help yourself. One such way is through journaling, which allows you to write down your concerns and worries, then use them as a starting point to try and work through each one and find an alternative thinking pattern or solution. In addition to this, this process could be used within the interview itself, showing that one of your strengths is your ability to adapt and better yourself.

Although that job interview may seem daunting, that doesn’t mean that it needs to consume your mind. By finding different ways of improving your mind, and health as a whole, you will be better prepared when the time comes. 

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