Self Confidence - Messing up an interview

:\ the only real thing you can do to overcome your freakouts under pressure is to do it more often. It's a HORRIBLE therapy I know, but it's best overcome [I think interviews are pretty much unavoidable in life!]

I usually kick myself after interviews - I don't know anyone who ever comes out smiling and happy every time.

I just practice what I'm going to say by talking to myself [oh god >.< I talk to myself in the mirror before interviews] because it makes it seem like there's somebody there.

Last interview I had, I was freezing cold, shaking, and a sweaty-palmed moron, but I think it's all down to my practice and crazy talking to myself that I got through it.

I think most people feel very anxious about interviews - especially afterwards where there is the inevitable "I should have said this" or "why did I say that?". I suppose the best thing to do is keep practising - the more situations like this that you face, the better you will do in future.

But yes, easier said than done. I'm a very shy person too and I often feel I cannot express myself articulately enough. It always makes it worse when you think about how badly you are doing (instead of the actual question you are supposed to answer) Just try not to analyse yourself too much - leave that to them. Be yourself. And if you fail, it's not the end of the world. You have a huge life ahead of you with no doubt many other opportunities to show your potential.

At my Cambridge interview, I mumbled my way through, didn't make very much eye contact, used awful language and there were long silences too. But I think these things are trivial - interviewers will be able to see through it if you are shy.

I understand that... but the problem is the extent of it. It wasn't like it was a little bit of it. I don't think i answered one question coherently. And it wasn't even important, which is the thing that pisses me off most. How can i be nervous about something that doesn't even matter!

Of course you can be nervous about things that don't matter. It's all about how you think you appeared to them, and that doesn't need a consequence to make you feel like how you do. I suppose I would feel like a bad interview of any sort is a reflection on my bad character, and it'd get me down for days. In fact, it goes beyond that, even if I am just having a chat with a relative or family friend I start feeling really nervous and judge myself and kick myself for things I say/don't say, so it's perfectly normal.

i didn't care particularly how they saw me, all i cared is that i did okay at it.

Surely the two are inextricably linked?

Maybe you had other stuff on your mind! Ignore it and see it as an experience!

I don't think i'll be able to cope with doing that... ... i probably need to not think about it for a bit though... I'm just so angry at myself, it was so easy, i should have been able to do it. Its not like they were hard questions for any normal person.
I mean "Tell me about yourself?"... come of it, a child could answer that, and i didn't have a clue what to say!

It really is largely down to confidence unfortunatly, if you make it sound like you know what you are talking about, they are much more likely to believe you it might sound odd but I LOVE interviews. There are few things like the exhilaration of being put on the spot and having to answer there and then (except maybe A-level languages oral exams).

Something which helps to to "cold read" the person to whom you are talking. If they look like a sporty type, focus on your sporting achevements. The most important thing is to remember that you need to get your unique selling point across so that when they are all discussing who to give offers to they remember YOU for something you did/said which they liked.

Another important thing to consider is that you need to find common ground with the interviewer. Find something they are interested in and focus on it. Everybody likes to talk about thingswhich they find interesting. All you have to do is find out what interests them (I dont mean ask, you have to "read" it).

Finally just a couple of last minute pointers.

1) Always make a pont of shaking the hand of your interviewer(s)
2) Read into the work of the university ( is it being enlarged? etc.. that you can ask about)
3)Try to remain calm and collected even if they say smething you dont like or agree with.
4) Always prepare properly (go to the toilet before going in, having a drink of water etc...)
5) keep eye contact but dont stare, appear confident even if you are sh***** youself

Let us know how it goes. Best of luck