Meditation for Interview Success

The absolute worst thing about job interviews are the nerves. No matter how prepared you are for an interview, getting rid of anxiety can be difficult. Although some amount of nervousness and excitement can be expected, no matter how calm you appear on the outside, letting those emotions have free reign can cause you to behave in ways that don't show you in your best light. For example, excessive anxiety will make an otherwise-qualified person appear to be suspicious or guarded – which isn't the way you want to present yourself during an interview.

However, there are many ways to calm your emotions and focus on having a great interview. You can prepare for many common interview questions and do plenty of research beforehand to ensure your interview success. It can also help to try some visualization exercises, like meditation, to get calm and centered before your next interview.

Although meditation is often associated with Buddhism and spiritual practice, it doesn't have to be a transcendental or new-age experience. Basically, meditation is a tool that allows you to calm all of the conflicting thoughts that run through your mind in order to really focus on why you want the job and why they should hire you.

There are many resources for job success meditations, like this video on YouTube. If you're interested in trying it, here is a great example from ModernChakra:

“...get yourself ready for the meditation by getting a notebook and a pen. Sit down in a comfortable position and begin to write three main reasons why you would want this position. Allow yourself a few moments to think about what makes them a best fit for you and not worry about if they think you fit them. The interview is a two way street, preparing as such will allow you to come up with real questions to ask.

After you write down your ideas, [begin] to relax your mind and body and let those concepts rest on your mind. Allow them to become more a part of your person; how do these things make you a more complete person. After you fit yourself in this picture you begin to imagine explaining this to your potential employers. No judgment or worry, just imagine you are explaining why you fit well, do this after you are calm and your mind is not judging.”

Once you've sat in this meditation for about 15 – 20 minutes, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you can do your best at the interview simply by being yourself. Then, right before you walk into the interview, take about 7 deep breaths and remember your meditation practice.

If you still need more encouragement to stay calm, here is a great mantra that will help you during your next interview. Just repeat it, either silently or out loud in the car before the interview and remember to breathe.

“I am prepared and confident

The right job will find me

I am humble but confident in front of others

I belong where I am appreciated”

Have you ever tried meditation to calm pre-interview jitters? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Image Source: Open Clip Art