Nailing that job interview or meeting.

How to overcome those sweaty moments before a job interview or a meeting.

As habitual beings, whenever change comes knocking on our door, we seem to constantly feel the challenge in whatever we are seeking to embark on. Then, the more we desire such a change, the higher the tension or fear that comes over us.

Whether it is that interview for our dream job, that presentation to the board that will help define our career, or the client meeting that holds our future financial comfort in a grip. All those important events become our fiercest nightmares if we allow ourselves to be caught up in the loop of what ifs. Somehow, a meeting or interview that simply started as a great opportunity, a chance of many, now becomes worrisome, and grows as it approaches, to become the make it or break it deal.

We forget that just sometime before the date was set, this opportunity either did not exist or was one of many options laid in front of us to work on.

The value or severity of a situation is highly influenced by how we perceive it, we are the ones to make it a scary event or just another day at the office, this is something only we define and only we ourselves can change.

If you ever wondered how some of the most successful people overcome such situations, well, I would simply say two things. Experience and awareness.

What experience adds in such an event is the neutralization of the severity of the meeting or interview. Because we have gone through similar situations over and over again we now understand that it is not the end of the world and that the calmer we are the better the chance is at getting through these events with positive and winning outcomes. We also learn how failing teaches us how to develop and perform better the next time, leaving us with a “we’ll do better the next time” attitude.

As for awareness, I see it as the opportunity to stop beating around the bush, especially if you haven’t compiled those years of experience yet. For being aware can help you overcome your fear in today’s meeting or interview, even if it was your first. Awareness is the key and secret that drives the early success of many, they realize and know what it takes and apply it with confidence.

I am not saying it is easy, but it sure is a simple matter to become more aware of the situation and overcome the stress that will influence your performance, hence your results.

Here are 7 key practices to help build your awareness and help you nail your interview or meeting:

1. Many are yet to come! Acknowledge that this is not a singular opportunity and without it, your life is over, no matter how much you’ve wanted it to happen.

2. Remember that you are bigger than one meeting, interview of major life event.

3. Step out and look at the situation from a third person’s perspective.

4. Define your life goals and remind yourself of them, this will help you stay focused on your greater purpose.

5. Be prepared for the outcome by preparing your alternative options, or plan B if the situation permits.

6. Research and be well prepared. This will help you cover all angles and feel more confident.

7. Meditate by reflecting on the situation. Go through how you are feeling, let it all out, the good and the bad. In short balance out the outcomes to return to your neutral state from which you can give it your best.

Here’s an exercise that may help you nail your interview or meeting:

Close your eyes and breathe for one or two minutes to become more present in your body and mind.

Visualize! Live the coming event in your mind, imagine it taking place if you can.

• Allow yourself to go through whatever feelings that may arise, let them play out. Don’t force a positive or a negative outcome. Just be.
• If you are in a good place, great! Just let it be at that, and move on to focus on your winning points and strengths to boost your confidence.
• If you feel that you’re tension increased, and the flow of the meeting did not go as you desire when you visualized it, it’s ok, just continue with the exercise.
• Ask yourself the following questions, be honest about your answers and how you feel:
  • Why am I stressed about this event?
  • Am I afraid? And, if yes, then ask yourself: Why am I afraid?
  • What am I feeling?
  • Allow yourself to feel or reveal the answer, keep digging deeper until you get to the main reason.
  • Tell yourself: So what if this feeling ……..was the case? What’s the worst that can happen? And look at the situations that may arise.
  • Face that fear and imagine it really taking place. Dissolve that fear in this safe space, as you are living the scenario in your mind, until you realize how anything can happen and you can overcome it all no matter what.
  • Now take yourself through the event again, but now you are nailing it. What’s the best that can happen?
  • And visualize how it makes you feel. Picture yourself succeeding and moving forward.
  • Now see yourself living the fruits of that interview or meeting, it’s been two years now!
    • How are you performing
    • Is it becoming a routine
    • Are you ready for a new beginning or the next step?
  • Come back to the present, breathe…
  • Tell yourself
    • This is just one phase of my life, one event
    • I am ready
    • I will do my best and succeed
    • All the good opportunities are coming my way.
    • This ……. (meeting/job…. etc.) is mine.
  • Open your eyes, and ask yourself again how you feel about the event or if it still seems like the most detrimental event of your life.

Remember the world is full of opportunities, we live in a place abundant with opportunities.

Try these practices Let us know how it worked for you?

We’d like to know of any other techniques you’ve used and recommend.

Share and let us know!

Originally published at evokedreflections.com