By Laura Aish, Digital Film & TV Editor
The Croft Magazine // Feeling nervous and stressed ahead of an interview, work placement or internship? Don’t panic, we’ve got you. Here’s some tips and ideas to feel less nervous ahead of starting something new. Let’s do this!
Preparation
You’ve secured that awesome interview or exciting new opportunity and you want to make a good first impression. Some ways that I’ve found really helpful are knowing about the company and doing research ahead of time on their website.
Have a look at the ‘about’ page and read what is important to them – think about how your values align with theirs and what you could bring to their team. This will give you useful material to discuss during your interview and with new colleagues. It will also show that you took the time to research their company and that you genuinely care about the job you are applying for or doing.
If you want to go even further, consider preparing some ideas that you could potentially implement if you got the job. For example, if you were applying for a social media position, you could think about how you would enhance their posts to fit their audience better or what strategies you’d consider to expand the companies reach. This might also help you to stand out and seem innovative.
Think about how your values align with theirs and what you could bring to their team.
Arrive in good time! Desperately trying to catch a late running bus or dramatically searching through a labyrinth of corridors whilst attempting to find the right room at the last minute is going to significantly make everything way more stressful.
Being an hour early is far better than being ten minutes late and you won’t rock up looking like a sweaty and dishevelled mess. It is also important to have a good night’s sleep before an interview or any new work placement as being tired will most likely make you feel more stressed.
Being There
You’re in. You’re there. You’re ready. I recommend thinking about taking in some notes with you – perhaps some of the ideas outlined earlier – so that you have something to draw upon if you run out of things to say.
Also, take your time. If you’re in an interview, don’t rush through it just to get it over with. If you’re new to a workplace, don’t worry about not knowing everything on day one – ask questions, take notes and you will learn what you need to over time.
Think of some questions to ask the interviewer at the end. This signals that you’re interested in the role and that you care about the position you’re applying for.
If you lose your place or forget what you’re saying during an interview, take a moment to gather your thoughts and start over. Drink some water if there is any available. Breathe. Just remember that the interviewer is only human – they’ve most likely been in the same position as you at some point. And when starting a new internship or work placement, remember that everyone else had a first day there once and they most likely felt nervous then too.
It’s often a good idea to think of some questions to ask the interviewer at the end. This signals that you’re interested in the role and that you care about the position you’re applying for and want to learn more about it or the company – but you will also be prepared in case they ask you.
Afterwards
This is probably the most important part of the whole process. Going to a job interview, starting a new internship or work placement can be really stressful. And sometimes we don’t get the job that we wanted or the internship we were looking forward to is not what we expected. Whatever the situation, take a moment to relax.
Watch Netflix. Listen to music. Read a book. Talk to friends and talk to loved ones. Particularly talk to someone if things didn’t go the way you hoped. Share the experiences of the day – both the good and the bad. Most importantly, be kind to yourself.
