Don’t Let Nerves Steal the Show! 8 Ways to Ace Your Interview

Ever feel your heart pounding in your chest before entering an interview room? Sweaty palms, overthinking, “What if they don’t like me?” running through your head? It doesn’t matter whether it is the first interview or you have already passed a few in your profession; interview anxiety is one of those things that gets any player off their game. However, imagine having a set of tools at hand ready to help turn those jitters into a smooth, confident calm.

Imagine walking into an interview, cool as a cucumber, ready to take whatever comes your way. These are eight research-backed ways you can conquer those pre-interview jitters—complete with relatable examples from some of India’s top achievers who know a thing or two about managing pressure. Dive in to find out how you can tackle interview stress head-on and make a powerful impression!

Visualise Your Success

Visualising your success will help you reduce fear by making the experience feel familiar. Picture yourself confidently entering the room, answering questions smoothly, and creating a strong impression. This mental rehearsal shifts your focus away from nerves and towards a positive outcome.

• Technique: Take 5–10 minutes to visualise the entire interview process in detail before you go in.
• Example: Virat Kohli, known for his intense mental game, uses visualisation before crucial matches to stay calm and focused, helping him achieve peak performance. Visualising a smooth interview can give you the same mental edge.

Practice Mock Interviews with a Friend or Mentor

Mock interviews will create familiarity with the questions, tone, and setting of a real interview. This method is amazing for practising responses and handling unexpected questions with ease.

• Technique: Practise with a trusted friend, mentor, or coach who can provide feedback on your responses and body language.
• Example: IIT and IIM students often undergo mock interviews with friends to help with the high-stakes placement process. This exercise refines their responses, making actual interviews feel less scary..

Use Power Poses to Boost Confidence

Power posing is taking confident, powerful stances that affect the mood and behaviour. It is that short change in your physicality that will help to reduce cortisol-the stress hormone-and give you that feeling of power.

• Technique: Stand in a power pose—feet apart, hands on hips, shoulders back—for 2 minutes before the interview.
• Example: PV Sindhu projects confidence before big matches through similar strategies that help her keep calm and composed. Power posing before your interview can have a similar effect.

Create a Confidence Playlist

Music can instantly alter your mood. An energetic and thrilling playlist can turn nervousness into excitement and prepare you mentally for an interview.

• Technique: Select songs that energise and inspire you, listening to them right before entering the interview room.
• Example: MS Dhoni listens to music to enter “the zone” before matches. Try iconic tracks like “Lakshya” or “Zinda” to get in the right headspace.

Deep Breathing and Meditation

Deep breathing is one of the quickest ways to calm down your body and mind. Even a few minutes of mindful breathing before the interview will help you stay centered and focused.

• Technique: Do the 4-7-8 breathing exercise, that is inhaling for 4 seconds and holding the breath for 7 followed by exhalation for 8 seconds.
• Example: Deepika Padukone has used breath techniques to deal with performance anxiety and maintain composure at critical times.

Prepare Relevant Questions for the Interviewer

Preparing thoughtful questions about the role or company helps shift the interview into a two-way conversation, reducing the sense of one-sided pressure.

• Technique: Research the company and prepare 2–3 insightful questions to ask at the end.
• Example: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw advises approaching discussions with curiosity and engagement. Asking questions shows your interest and builds rapport with the interviewer.

Keep a Stress Journal to Calm Pre-Interview Nerves

Writing down worries before the interview will  help you acknowledge and release them, making you feel more in control.

• Technique: Note down specific concerns or fears the day before the interview, helping to gain perspective.
• Example: Amitabh Bachchan uses journaling to reflect and clarify his thoughts. This habit can help release any pre-interview tension.

Accept and Normalise Anxiety

Accepting that anxiety is natural helps take away its power. Knowing that everyone feels interview nerves, even experienced professionals, can make you more comfortable.

• Technique: Remind yourself that nerves are a part of the process and that they signal care and interest.
• Example: Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, has shared that recognising his anxieties helped him tackle self-doubt. Accepting that interview anxiety is normal can help you stay in control.

Mastering interview anxiety doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent practice, these techniques can truly make a difference. By learning to visualise success, embracing power poses, and preparing thoroughly, you’ll find yourself walking into interviews feeling calmer, more prepared, and more confident. Remember, interview anxiety is something everyone experiences—even top CEOs, athletes, and celebrities. The key is to channel that energy productively.

If you’re looking for more personalised strategies and professional guidance to build up your confidence, consider Mentoria’s counsellor programmes. With the support of trained experts, you’ll have the tools to tackle any interview setting with poise and clarity. Take control of your nerves, invest in yourself, and make a lasting impression every time!