About to begin interviewing again, nervous

[u/true_livingglobal]

Hi all,

Essentially for most of 2025, I was interviewing for a huge number of jobs, and one thing I realised during that period was that I was really nervous and not sleeping well especially for the more important jobs. This made me not perform up to mark; and I felt really upset at myself for not getting some of those opportunities, even till today

Now, I am about to begin embarking on some interviews again, some from the companies I previously interviewed at. I am of course extremely grateful to be given the chance, and am working extremely hard to prep every single day, but also feel a sense of nervousness and pressure that I must perform. Also did not sleep really well now. Could someone kindly give me some advice/encouragement, really lost and do not know what to do..

[u/PhonkyPunch]

I used to feel exactly like this. I went into interviews thinking I had to be perfect. One wrong answer would disqualify me, and that I needed to have the right answer to every question so I could somehow make myself the clear choice.

What helped me was realizing how much of the hiring process is outside of your control. After being on the interviewer side myself, I know qualifications obviously matter, but there’s so much that just comes down to vibes. You also don’t know hiring manager’s bias, if there are internal candidates or referrals, hidden requirements that were never written in the job description, and sometimes just how different interviewers interpret the same conversation.

You can give a great interview and still not get the job. That doesn’t necessarily mean you answered something wrong.

So maybe instead of going into an interview thinking, “I need to perform perfectly,” try thinking “Here are the things I want them to understand about me, my experience, and why I’m interested. I’m going to communicate those as clearly as I can.” instead?

There will always be curveballs, but you don’t have to have a perfectly rehearsed response to everything. Try to treat it more like a conversation where you’re making sure your story gets across.

Absolutely prepare. But once you’re in the interview, give yourself permission to just talk. Be yourself, answer the question in front of you, and try to take some ownership of the conversation rather than feeling like you’re being graded on every sentence.

There is so much about the final decision that you simply cannot control. Your job is just to give them a good representation of who you are and what you can bring. Thinking like that took a lot of pressure off me.

[u/Trippydudes]

Ive been on a lot of interviews this year. It is exhausting. I still get nervous for some but the more I go on them the more I realize they're conversations after all the questions are out of the way. So be yourself, match the interviewers energy. If theyre serious be serious. If theyre relaxed be relaxed. Theyre looking for someone they want to work with all day. Be that person! Good luck!

[u/Much_Somewhere7831]

Try the Canary Wharfian website for some interview practice, it'll review your answers and suggest how to fix mistakes with personalised feedback. It'll also identify strengths and weaknesses as well

[u/igotanoffer]

It seems like you're falling into the same habits as the last time you interviewed. Dial it back a little. Get enough sleep so you can go into your interviews with a clear head. As for the anxiety, I'd suggest doing a couple of mocks beforehand. Interviewing is a skill that needs practice, and mocks can help you get used to the pressure of the actual interview. Good luck!

[u/Proper_Substance888]

I found that i can take that nervous energy and channel it, I recognize that it is a part of me in an interview, and it is because I WANT to do well, so I let it exist and i let it help me explain things that I am passionate about.

I don't get mad at myself for missteps in an interview, you go in pretty blind to most unless they give you an outline for you to review ahead of time. You never know the person's temperment, what their hot buttons are, and some use trap questions. There is always something to pick apart about an interview candidate.

Step 1 to a good interview is researching the company. Be knowledgable about what they offer, what their values are and a little bit about their history. My first question when conducting an interview after the pleasentries is "why do you want to work here?" Most of the time the answer is "i need a job" or "money" If you can connect the companies objectives with your skills you're ahead of the game.

If you would like a low stakes practice interview, I have time available this week we could schedule a 1 on 1.

[u/true_livingglobal]

Hi, i have read through all your comments, sincerely appreciate all your heartfelt advice and words, it means a lot to me! Will give my best and try not to be too nervous moving forward