How to calm nerves for interviews? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone else tried drinking or taking anti-anxiety medication before an interview? If yes, any recommendations? Idk, I just get REALLY nervous during interviews when I known everyone is judging everything I say and do, how I talk, how I look, etc.. It literally impairs my ability to think straight, when I would otherwise be able to come up with somewhat decent answers.

[whats an updog]

If you're going to do that, and I don't recommend it unless a doctor has prescribed you that sort of medication, you absolutely need to try some dry runs first. Set up an interview with your career office for a mock interview without telling them you're taking anti-anxiety medication and see how it goes. The same with friends if possible. Actually for anyone reading this thread, the more mock interviews you do the better regardless of medication. It's the best way to become comfortable. Any other advice is specific to personal style imo.

[objctnyrhnr]

Has anyone else tried drinking or taking anti-anxiety medication before an interview? If yes, any recommendations? Idk, I just get REALLY nervous during interviews when I known everyone is judging everything I say and do, how I talk, how I look, etc.. It literally impairs my ability to think straight, when I would otherwise be able to come up with somewhat decent answers.

Propanalol deals with physical manifestations of anxiety to some degree. It’s a beta blocker. Doesn’t touch your mind though.

[RecruiterMan]

have you tried masturbation?

[emwallen]

I cannot recommend beta blockers enough. No side effects (as far as I've experienced) and they have changed my life with respect to public speaking and interview performance.

[eastcoast_iub]

My wife takes half a shot of liquor before interviews. Seems to work well for her.

[kiddie114]

Use substance, go to a doctor and at least some doctor will prescribe you those pills that keep your mind in the range thats acceptable. alpha males sometimes take extra help not from their constant striking confidence but good ol pills.

[smoked]

I get pretty significant nerves before interviews and presentations, but I'm also a very "social" person so this tends to surprise people. One thing that tremendously helps me is just having a good convo with someone before I'm supposed to interview/present. This could be just shooting the shit with a colleague before we present, or if I'm on an interview this could just be getting to know the receptionist while I wait for the interview to start (just general chit chat).

This doesn't totally get rid of nerves (I think some nerves/adrenaline is key to performing well), but it gets the "bad" butterflies out.

[Anonymous User]

For me it's a sleep thing. The night before, make sure you exercise and have sex/masturbate. Then get a good night's rest. I wouldn't lean too hard into artificial chemicals.

[sprintin23]

A shot of whiskey and a breath mint. Works every time.

[Anonymous User]

A shot of whiskey and a breath mint. Works every time.

After being pretty nervous for some really competitive positions (as a non-nervous person generally), I did this and felt it worked pretty well. Once had some beers before second round after lunch and felt like it was one of my best. Also possible that it gives you inflated view of your own performance, but it at least kills the nerves.

[Anonymous User]

I took Ativan for flying, and a few times when a callback was scheduled the same day as the flight I felt really relaxed in the interviews.

[Anonymous User]

Op here, thanks guys! I'll look into asking a doctor for beta blockers, but for my next one on Monday, there might not be enough time to get some -- so I'll just try a shot of hard liquor.

[rubberplant2020]

For me it's a sleep thing. The night before, make sure you exercise and have sex/masturbate.

One thing that tremendously helps me is just having a good convo with someone before I'm supposed to interview/present. This could be just shooting the shit with a colleague before we present, or if I'm on an interview this could just be getting to know the receptionist while I wait for the interview to start (just general chit chat).

I've never tried drugs or liquor, but the two quoted comments work like a charm every time.

[bruinfan10]

Yikes. Interviews are a lot less scary than taking a depo, arguing a hearing, making a pitch, handling your first witness in a jury trial, and the list goes on and on....pretty concerned for you once you start actually practicing law.

[Anonymous User]

Yikes. Interviews are a lot less scary than taking a depo, arguing a hearing, making a pitch, handling your first witness in a jury trial, and the list goes on and on....pretty concerned for you once you start actually practicing law.

As someone who has done most of the things on here, I couldn’t disagree more. Job interviews, particularly things like DOJ or other uber competitive jobs that are possibly once in a lifetime opportunity, can be extremely anxiety inducing given the singularity of it all. Which is why I thought a beer or something helped.

I worked at a v20 and took 50 depositions. Never once was nervous even for a second. You’re in control and preparation can largely compensate for the unknown on the other end. Witnesses at trial you know the answers to what you’re asking. Opening argument is the only part that would come close to me in terms of nerves.

[shock259]

I guess it's not the end of the world to take a shot right before or whatever. But I'd try to find a longer-term solution to your nerves, preferably one that doesn't involve substances. You're sort of playing with fire.

[abogadesq]

Convince yourself that the job you’re applying to isn’t your dream but is just any job that you can do without. Present yourself honestly and speak with a matter-of-fact tone, and you won’t come across as desperate, which is one of the things interviewers hate most.

[objctnyrhnr]

Convince yourself that the job you’re applying to isn’t your dream but is just any job that you can do without. Present yourself honestly and speak with a matter-of-fact tone, and you won’t come across as desperate, which is one of the things interviewers hate most.

Easier said than done. Use substances. Job interviews could result in something life-changing, literally.

[Traynor Brah]

You need to internalize that these interviews are entirely devoid of substance. Your goal is to be nice and bond over something (law-related or not). There's a lot riding on these, to be sure, but the actual interviews are nothing to be anxious about--think of them like 20 minute coffee dates where all you have to do is make the other person like you "51%." Just practice a lot. With CSO, with firms you dont care as much about, with random lawyers on informational coffee meet-ups, etc.

As others have said, honestly, if you can't get over an anxiety hump in this context and need to medicate to be able to perform x stressful thing, this is probably not a good/healthy career choice for you.

[bruinfan10]

Yikes. Interviews are a lot less scary than taking a depo, arguing a hearing, making a pitch, handling your first witness in a jury trial, and the list goes on and on....pretty concerned for you once you start actually practicing law.

As someone who has done most of the things on here, I couldn’t disagree more. Job interviews, particularly things like DOJ or other uber competitive jobs that are possibly once in a lifetime opportunity, can be extremely anxiety inducing given the singularity of it all. Which is why I thought a beer or something helped.

I worked at a v20 and took 50 depositions. Never once was nervous even for a second. You’re in control and preparation can largely compensate for the unknown on the other end. Witnesses at trial you know the answers to what you’re asking. Opening argument is the only part that would come close to me in terms of nerves.

i hear you, people really want the job they're interviewing for, high stakes, etc. that said, i successfully interviewed for a feeder clerkship, i've been hired by two of the most selective law firms in the country by biglaw standards (little bit higher than the V20 range), in addition to making it through multiple rounds of hyper competitive government interviews. legal interviews are a breeze. they require a tiny bit of substantive knowledge here and there, maybe enough trial skills to give a mock closing for the gov ones, but largely, they're all about chatting amicably and knowing your talking points.

if you see interviews as so insanely nerve-wracking that you need to take a shot on the way in or get a prescription for xanax beforehand, wow, that seems like a bigger problem. there's always going to be a new "first/one-time thing" in law, whether it's your first final exam, first interview, first time taking a bar exam, first hearing, first trial, and on, and on, and on, and it'll always feel like the rest of your career hinges on it. if you need substances to get through that feeling, you might be in trouble.

[Anonymous User]

Yea, idk. I never once was nervous during OCI, clerkship interviews at district court or circuit level, or post-clerkship firms. Mostly because I had so many and knew there would always be a comparable one even if I didn’t get the dream. Once AUSA interviews came around it was a whole different story. I was asked to mock open non-legal arguments and was challenged in ways I never was with courtroom experiences, even COA arguments. And they were on hypos for which there was and could be no prep. Perhaps most importantly, the answers rarely mattered. It was all poise and seemed wholly different than what preceded it in terms of legal hiring.

[abogadesq]

Convince yourself that the job you’re applying to isn’t your dream but is just any job that you can do without. Present yourself honestly and speak with a matter-of-fact tone, and you won’t come across as desperate, which is one of the things interviewers hate most.

Easier said than done. Use substances. Job interviews could result in something life-changing, literally.

It is. But if it means anything, I just did this at an interview pretty successfully, and I used to always get nervous during interviews.

[jjjetplane]

I second beta blockers. they don't dull nervousness, which can actually keep you on your toes in an interview, but they eliminate the physical manifestations (no quavering voice, shaking hands, etc.). Just tell your doctor and they can write an rx for two pills if you need them on a "per-interview" basis.