In the lead up to a big game, professional athletes visualize success, double-check their equipment or listen to a favorite song on their headphones -- all before heading into competition. The minutes before you leave your house for that big job interview might not contain the same level of intensity, but mental preparation can still mean the difference between victory (getting the job) and defeat (back to the classifieds).
Here are some tips from experts and job hunters on how to use that time wisely. Pick and choose the ones that work for you.
1. Crank the music.
Erin Carbone of Whitehouse Station, N.J., went on 11 interviews in a two-month span before landing a position as an analyst at a pharmaceutical marketing and consulting firm. What helped her relax before an interview? Rap music. A favorite was Kanye West's "Gold Digger."
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"Basically, I made sure I did things I would do any other day," says Ms. Carbone, 23. She says it helped her to view an interview like taking an exam -- about yourself -- and that there was nothing in the world she knew better.
"My ritual was to do things that would remind me of who I am," she says. "So when I got to the interview, I was like, 'Go ahead, ask me anything you want. I know myself like the back of my hand.'"
2. Practice calmness.
If blasting the iPod doesn't work for you, try tranquility.
Mark Hogue, a sports psychologist in Erie, Pa., who sometimes works with job hunters and professionals, says a little edginess before an interview can be helpful if it makes you alert and energized. But too much anxiety can be disastrous. He says it's important to practice mental preparation well in advance of an interview.
"Learn relaxation skills," he says. "That can't be done the day or the morning before." He says it can take weeks.
Mr. Hogue recommends job hunters visualize in their minds how the interview will go, and, if nerves are a problem, to be able to picture themselves somewhere serene, like on a beach. Practicing deep breathing or repeating a tranquil word like "calm" are popular methods people use to get themselves ready for a tense situation.
3. Wear the uniform.
Knowing you look your best for an interview creates confidence, says Jeff Nelligan of Bethesda, Md., who is hunting for a position in public affairs or government relations.
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"I make sure the shoes are shined," he says. "I was in the Army reserves for a lot of years, and I just think that's the sign of somebody who's got his act together." He also checks the hair. "If you go in there with your cowlick sticking up, you look like Dennis the Menace." Making sure your clothes are straight and there's nothing in your teeth doesn't hurt, either.
4. Visualize success.
In the 15 minutes before leaving for a job interview, all negative thoughts should be put aside, says Jack J. Lesyk, a sport psychologist in Beachwood, Ohio, who also works with job hunters and professionals.
Long before the day of the interview, candidates should think of solid answers to three questions they don't want to be asked. This will go a long way toward relieving anxiety, he says.
But just prior to the meeting, focus on the positive. "The bottom line is: Always, always, always think about, talk about, and practice what you want to happen," Mr. Lesyk says. "Not what could go wrong." Mental preparation is crucial, he says, down to visualizing how you are going to walk into the room, make eye contact and respond to questions slowly and clearly.
Mr. Nelligan, 46, also likes to have a funny line from a favorite movie in mind as he walks through the door for an interview. For him, it's Caddyshack: "Be the ball."
"Going in there kind of chuckling is better than going in there dour and beat down," he says.
5. Leave for the interview early.
Feeling rushed or worrying you might be late can throw off your mojo, so it's a good idea to give yourself more travel time than you think you need, says Ms. Carbone, who learned this lesson from experience.
Driving to her first interview at a temp agency, she knew her car needed gas, but she was running late.
"I figured I could just wait until after the interview," she says.
She had just enough gas to make it to the office, with 10 minutes to spare. But she missed the turn into the parking lot and ended up back on the highway, trying to turn around. Her car ran out of fuel and shut down.
A passing jogger told her she was about a mile and a half from town. Ms. Carbone had to make a decision.
"I grabbed my resume, locked the car doors, and started running on these back-country roads in my suit," she says. "And it was freezing." Although she got to the interview 20 minutes late, she called first to tell the interviewer she was having "car trouble" -- and still got job offers through the agency.
-- Mr. Flesher is a free-lance journalist in Central New Jersey.
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