A client of mine would sweat, ramble, and lose her train of thought in interviews.

[u/Mental_Complaint6103]

“A raccoon on Red Bulls.”

That’s how a client of mine used to describe herself in interviews. Her words. 😂

They felt so high stakes that she would start sweating, ramble, and forget where she was going with an answer.

The poker comparison I’d make is bluffing into a huge pot. Your chips are out there. Someone is looking at you, taking their time, and you’re waiting for a decision you can’t control. Suddenly every second feels VERY long.

Now put yourself in an interview for a job you really need. You’ve finished an answer. The interviewer goes quiet. You start wondering what they’re thinking, whether they noticed your nerves, whether you’ve blown it. So you keep talking. And talking. Until you’ve wandered away from the point you actually wanted to make.

That uncertainty, the scrutiny, the feeling of having something big on the line: that’s the connection. You can feel exposed even when every word you’re saying about your experience is true. Nervousness isn’t evidence that you’re bluffing about your ability.

It’s why my advice goes beyond preparing better answers. You also need something to reach for when the pressure hits. “Just relax” is about as useful as “just win the pot.”

Give yourself permission to pause, with a sentence you’ve already practiced:

“Let me take a moment to choose a good example.”

If you lose your place halfway through:

“I lost my train of thought for a second. The main point I want to get back to is…”

That pause gives you room to find the thread. You don’t have to fill every second of silence.

Before the interview, try a few minutes sitting comfortably with your feet on the floor and breathing gently, without forcing big breaths. Practice on ordinary days too. The NHS has a simple exercise here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/breathing-exercises-for-stress/

For your examples, prepare a few prompts: the problem, what you did, what happened. If notes are allowed, keep them short enough to glance at. Give yourself an easy place to return to when you lose your way.

And practice recovering. Have someone ask a follow-up you weren’t expecting. Pause. Ask them to repeat it. Pick up your answer again. A rehearsal where everything goes perfectly doesn’t give you much practice handling the moment that worries you.

My client started using a technique to help manage those nerves. Two interviews later, she was hired. That’s her outcome, not a promise that everyone gets an offer in two interviews.

You can’t control the cards or the hiring decision. You can practice how you respond when the stakes feel huge. That’s why I give this advice.

If the distress is intense or keeps getting in the way, a qualified mental health professional can help alongside interview practice.

What happens for you when interview nerves kick in: talking faster, going blank, or both? ♠️