Let’s face it; our nerves usually tend to get the best of us when facing job interviews.  It’s funny the way nervousness makes the brain malfunction, causes the heart to race, and leads to excessively sweaty palms.  But with these ten easy tips, anxiety will be but a distant nightmare and your job interview is bound to sail smoothly.

Tip 1: Confidence- Confidence is key; if you appear nervous and unqualified, the interviewer may perceive it to mean you don’t care.  Always appear confident even if it means faking it til you make it.

Tip 2: Physical Appearence- First impressions often make it or break it.  Being well groomed, clean and neat is vital to a good impression and is paramount to a good interview.  A tailored, conservative outfit is your best bet.

Tip 3: Pay Request- Decide how much you qualify for and let your potential employer know.  Hold your ground regarding your desired range but leave some wiggle room for pay flexibility.

Tip 4: No one is Perfect- A commonly asked question during interviews is ‘what are your weaknesses?’  Be honest.  No one is perfect and no interviewer wants to hear anything along the lines of ‘I have no weakness’.

Tip 5: Always appear happy, excited, and professional- Potential employers don’t want to hire mopy, unexcited people who don’t seem to have any interest in the job.

Tip 6: Getting an interview is the hardest part of the job search endeavor- If you get an interview, you are half way there, so relax!

Tip 7: Get familiar with the types of questions asked- If you have a sense of the questions you can practice, and practice makes perfect! It will also help you feel more ready so you can succeed.

Tip 8: Learn about yourself- Potential employers want to know about you and it will be a disaster if you don’t know your own self including your strengths and weakness, so reflect and learn.

Tip 9: Find out as much as you can about the job- Don’t go into the interview cold turkey. The potential job will inevitably ask questions such as ‘what interests you the most about the job?’ so learn about the job and don’t go in blind.

Tip 10: Relax and have fun- Don’t take the interview too seriously for it will only make you more nervous.  Prep for the interview and you will be fine!

The nerves will never completely disappear but, as a man once said, “We don’t want to remove the butterflies from your stomach, we only want to teach them to fly in formation”.  Use these tips as your guide and you will flourish!