Being Mentally Prepared for Your Interview

The time leading up to an interview is critical to performing well at the interview itself. These tips apply to the portion of mental preparation that, in all honesty, make or break an interview. Some people come by mental-preparedness more naturally than others. However, this doesn't mean that someone who doesn't possess this disposition will be forever crippled. Simple tips and tricks can help you raise your competitive edge and, hopefully, land that job.

As soon as you're aware of a coming interview, you should begin mentally preparing yourself to do well. This means different things to different people, but should always include time spent visualizing an interview going well. Athletes often practice this form of mental preparation as a method to build confidence in performance and to prepare for surprises which otherwise might have tripped them up. Similarly, try to prepare yourself for surprises during an interview: Keeping a level head and not being easily flustered can only mean good things for you.

In order to keep from being too surprised, another tip is to Google "interview questions" and prepare your answers in advance. Practice with a friend or family member and focus on delivery: Your answers shouldn't sound rehearsed, even though you may have rehearsed them extensively. When practicing, try to change up the answer a little bit each time. Even if you're saying the same information, you can still change the wording or order of what you say.

Modern scholarship suggests that a link exists between physical exercise and mental alertness. To assist the other methods of mental preparation, exercise for several days (if not the entire week) leading up to your interview. Push yourself to the point where you feel like you've done something constructive with your workout and then stop. For a low-impact workout, I typically rely on the elliptical trainers. These machines aren't as harsh on my knees and ankles as running, while still providing both an aerobic and anaerobic workout. Next, try to keep the image of that "good" workout in my head until the next time I could go to the gym. This helped me build the motivation to continue working out leading up to the interview and afterwards. (Note: Several websites exist which demonstrate full-body workouts without the need of a gym. For those without the benefit of a local gym, I would also recommend these routines.)

I suffer from acid reflux but generally rely on medicine to keep it under control. Before an interview however, I make sure that I stay away from foods that would normally exacerbate my condition. And, while I have not chosen to make a more general lifestyle change, I try to eat better during the time that I'm working out (again, leading up to the interview). Certain "brain foods" have been identified that are better for mental preparation and mood management. Try to add these foods to your diet while cutting out the foods that typically make you more sluggish and heavy.

Get to know the company with whom you have the interview. Again, use google and research the company the way you would a topic for a school paper. Know some basic facts about the company and learn about their product(s). Be prepared to use this knowledge in your answers (but make sure that it flows well into the answer, don't simply point out that you know information).

The one tip that everyone's mother recommends: Sleep well before the interview. The importance of sleep has been studied many different times by many different research institutions. You know the amount of sleep you need to function well. Make sure that nothing interferes with that. That may mean unplugging the TV, charging your phone in another room, and making sure that your animals have been fed, watered, and let out (just so that last minute "emergency" doesn't happen). It does no good to have prepared this completely only to be unable to demonstrate it due to sleep deprivation! Sleep long, sleep well, and be well-rested to continue the effort you've put into making it this far.