Interviews can be a very stressful time. Sometimes you feel like the nerves are going to swallow you up whole and the whole interview is going to be a disaster! You don't have to feel like this. There are plenty of ways to overcome your interview nerves. Below I've listed my top 5 tips to help you in your next interview!

1.Preparation:

Preparation is a key part of a successful interview. Before you go for your interview, you need to prepare yourself. A great way of doing this is by first reading up about the interview process. Most companies will email you with some information of how the interview process will work. This helps you get more of an idea about the company and what they're looking for. If you don’t receive this information then just ask. It doesn't hurt to ask, and I even makes you look enthusiastic!

It's also great to know a little about the company before the interview. For example knowing things like; The amount of stores/offices/employees they have, the year they were founded, who founded them etc. By having this little bit of extra information it's going to make you stand out during your interview.

A really important thing to prepare is a list of questions you want to ask the company. Remember, this is an opportunity for you to interview the company just as much as it is an opportunity for them to interview you. Preparing questions makes you look eager and makes sure you know what you need to know about them.

"By failing to prepare, you're preparing to fail"

2.Looking presentable:

To make a great impression you want to make sure that you look the part. This doesn’t necessarily mean going all out in a super duper suit and shoes. For example, if you're going for a job in retail a great outfit choice would simply be black trousers (or jeans), a nice shirt and some sensible shoes. You want to look the part but you also want to be comfortable.

Smiling is also a big part of making a good first impression. By smiling it makes you look eager, friendly and involved. By looking punctual and eager you're more likely to stand out to your interviewer.

3.Visualization:

A great way to pump yourself up before your interview is to visualize how it's going to go. Imagine yourself in your interview, you're making a great first impression. It's going really great and your interviewer seem's to love you! By thinking positive thoughts in this way right before your interview it's going to give you the boost of confidence you're going to need to get over your jitters!

4.Arriving early:

It's always a really great idea to make sure you turn up to your interview early. Before you go to sign into your interview take some time to go over your resume, interview questions and knowledge of the company. By doing this just before your interview it's going to help it really stick in your head and it's going to make sure you don't forget everything. I'd recommend signing into your interview around 10-15 minutes early. This is going to show you're eager and reliable and it's going to help you make a great first impression and ultimately help you stand out. When you arrive make sure you're punctual, if you have to wait around for a while try to resist the urge to slouch or use your phone. By doing this is going to show you're on your toes and ready to go

5.Pacing yourself:

One of the most important things to do during an interview if to pace yourself. Remember, it's not a race! When you're asked questions just take a few seconds to stop and think about your answer. This is going to show initiative and it shows you don't just jump into things before thinking about them first. By pacing yourself it's also going to make sure that you don't get choked up and start stuttering your words. If you get a question that you can't answer then try to redirect it to make it fit into your existing experience. A slightly off topic answer is better than no answer at all.

So that was my top 5 tips for overcoming your interview jitters. Try using some next time you go for an interview and see how you get on... Good luck!

Charlotte Nichols is a StudentJob blogger, and is a student at Southampton Solent University where she studies Journalism and Music Management. Check out her Blog, YouTube and follow her on Twitter!