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Breathing Techniques to Control Interview Nerves
5 Breathing Techniques to help control your interview nerves plus additional hints and tips
It is completely normal for your body to go into "fight or flight" mode before an interview. Your heart races because your brain thinks a hiring manager is a predator! Naturally, you are nervous. But remember, a Sales Interview is just another sales meeting – the employer has a need, and you are the solution!
Calming Interview Nerves with Breathing Techniques
Nerves, when channelled correctly, can be a real positive. It shows you care, sharpens your answers and shows that you are human. But it's important to keep it under control, and the best way to do this is through breathing.
Here are four breathing techniques to help you calm your nerves before an interview or any other meeting.
Why Breathing Techniques?
The goal of focused breathing is to hack your nervous system and tell your brain, "We're safe; it's just a conversation."
Here are the most effective techniques to keep you cool, calm, and collected.
Box Breathing
Box Breathing helps to halt the physical symptoms of panic. Do this in your car, reception or even the company's toilet before the meeting.
- Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
↓ - Hold that breath for 4 seconds.
↓ - Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds.
↓ - Hold empty for 4 seconds.
↓ - Repeat at least 4 times until you feel your nerves are under control.
Advanced Box Breathing
An advanced technique is to inhale through your nose for 1 second, exhale through your nose for 2, then inhale for 2 and exhale for 3, and so on, until you reach 5. Then, if needed, start from the beginning again.
If you have a smartwatch, check your heart rate, and you should immediately see your HR reduce.
The Physiological Sigh
If you feel a sudden spike of adrenaline when they call your name, use this. It's the fastest way to offload carbon dioxide and lower your heart rate.
- Take a deep inhale through the nose.
↓ - At the very top, take a brief, sharp inhalation to fully inflate the lungs.
↓ - Release a long, slow sigh through the mouth.
Low & Slow - Diaphragmatic Breathing
You can't exactly start "box breathing" while the hiring manager is explaining the company culture, the role and why the firm is fantastic! Instead, use Diaphragmatic Breathing.
Breathe into your belly, not your chest. Chest breathing is shallow and signals anxiety.
Whenever you finish answering a question, take a quiet, slow breath out. Making your exhale longer than your inhale naturally triggers the "rest and digest" response.
Mirroring Breathing
Focus on the interviewer's breathing and try to match it. You'll find that not only will you calm down, but you'll 'tune in' to their communication style.
It's a weird thing, but you'll be speaking with a similar cadence and using body language in a similar way.
Try it beforehand in a social setting (without telling the person!) and see if it works for you.
Some further Breath Work Tips for Interviews
- Remember that 'a pause is your friend'. If you get a tough question, don't rush to speak. Take one deliberate breath. It makes you look thoughtful and composed, not nervous.
- Get your posture right for relaxing and breathing. Sit up straight, but keep your shoulders dropped. Take deeper breaths than you usually would. If your shoulders are hunched toward your ears, your lungs can't expand, which keeps your body in a state of high alert.
- Avoid excessive caffeine in the lead-up to the interview unless you are used to it. If you're already prone to jitters, that third espresso will make it much harder to control your breath.
- Rest the tip of your tongue on the ridge of tissue just behind your front teeth, then gently press your lips together. This is a physical "hack" to force you to breathe through your nose, which keeps your heart rate lower than mouth-breathing. It also prevents that "dry mouth" feeling that makes it hard to speak clearly when you're nervous.
- Some say that the left nostril is linked to the "calm" side of your brain. While waiting in the car, or even the toilet beforehand, gently block your right nostril with your thumb and breathe only through your left nostril for 1–2 minutes. This helps to lower blood pressure and reduce the feeling of "butterflies" in your stomach.
I hope this helps you control your interview nerves, and good luck!
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About the author
Rob Scott
Rob Scott is the Managing Director of Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment, a premier UK agency dedicated to connecting top-tier sales and marketing talent with diverse commercial sectors. With a career in sales recruitment spanning over 28 years, Rob has cemented his reputation as a definitive authority in the sales industry.
Before founding Aaron Wallis in 2007, he served as the Marketing & Sales Director for a £0.5BN recruitment group. A first-class History graduate with an MBA and a PgCert in Management Practice, Rob bridges the gap between academic rigour and practical market expertise. His insights, backed by some of the UK’s most extensive sales professional surveys, are frequently sought by global outlets including Forbes, The Independent, Medium.com, the FT, and Business Insider.
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