If you receive news that you’ve got an interview for a job or perhaps for university study, you may have a feeling of dread that quickly sets in after those initial feelings of excitement. We’ve all been there. Being interviewed is rarely a fun process, but is a necessary part of life, and one that you will likely have to go through quite a few times before you really settle down into your career. So how can you deal with the nerves that go hand in hand with preparing for or participating in an interview? We’ve got a few tips for you in dealing with interview nerves, ones which can hopefully keep you on a positive track.

The first thing to do when dealing with interview nerves is to put the experience into perspective. Is this a life-changing opportunity? Possibly. But will you be completely devoid of opportunities should you not succeed in this particular one? Of course not! Remember that there are many other opportunities for you out there, and so while this interview is important, it’s certainly not the end of the world if it doesn’t go well, or even if it goes well but is still unsuccessful. This may be harder to keep in mind if it’s a position that you’ve really got your heart set on, but the chances are that even if it is and you’re unsuccessful, you’ll move on more quickly than you had anticipated.

You can of course also help yourself a lot in dealing with interview nerves by being well prepared. Consider what types of questions you might be asked and prepare answers (don’t memorise speeches though as you’re never going to be sure quite how a question is phrased and sounding scripted will not help you out in impressing interviewers, nor help in dealing with interview nerves). Doing a bit of research into the company or programme will also help you to feel more calm, as you should have an idea of what you’re getting into and can be confident in your ability to speak knowledgeably about this. Think about all the things you know about the company and position applied for when you start to feel nervous and firmly remind yourself that you know what you’re talking about.

Another tip for dealing with interview techniques is to remember to breathe at a calm rate! This is something which is somehow easy to forget when dealing with nervous feelings–you get a pang of nervousness and before you know it you’re breathing like someone who’s in a life-or-death sprint away from zombies–but remembering to practice breathing techniques can really help calm your mind and body. Get into the habit of taking deep, careful breaths in the days leading up to your interview, and also in the minutes preceding it, as this will allow you to stay focused and not panic!

Finally, remember that no matter how nervous you feel now, the interview process will soon be over. Perhaps you can treat yourself to a little something afterwards whether you feel you rocked the interview or did terribly (this could be a quick pint with friends, hot cup of tea or even a bath). And remember that it’s an experience that will make you even better prepared for dealing with interview nerves and the whole process the next time around.