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"It\u2019s the morning of your big interview and you\u2019re a nervous wreck. Your palms are sweating, you can\u2019t find your resume and you've become convinced you\u2019re going to bomb your big day. \nUnfortunately, nerves are the ultimate enemy to any interview success story. It doesn't matter how qualified you are; if you find yourself in a panic, you\u2019re likely to undercut your chances of success. \nA case of nerves can lead to major nonverbal mistakes. For example, 67% of interviewees fail to make adequate eye contact and 33% fidget too much. Don\u2019t despair if you\u2019re nervous for your big day \u2014 just remember that you\u2019re the boss of your brain. Calm your nerves with these surprising mental hacks, and get ready to nail your next interview.\nCognitive reframing\nCognitive reframing is a psychological technique used to identify negative thoughts, and then dispute or reframe those thoughts into more positive challenges. Recent research reveals that people perform better when they look at difficult situations as a challenge instead of a threat \u2014 and a job interview presents a prime opportunity to turn a difficult situation into a challenge. \nWhen you think about it, interviewing is a solo activity. Research has found this solo status can be extremely stressful, because it increases visibility and performance pressure. When all eyes are on you in the interview, the implications for making a mistake are much higher. It\u2019s no wonder going on a job interview can feel so threatening.\nHowever, research has found that cognitive appraisal, or how you view a situation, has a big impact on how well you perform in these instances. If you see the interview as a challenge to tackle and overcome instead of a threatening and scary situation, you increase your odds of success. Before the interview, create a little mantra for yourself so you can remember that this is a challenge to overcome \u2014 not a frightening experience. Reframing how you interpret the interview gives you a better chance of success. \nChew gum\n\nImage: Flickr, Darren ShawCan chewing gum contribute to interview success? The answer might just surprise you. Researchers at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom found that workers who chew gum have lower levels of occupational stress. The same research team also found that students who chewed gum regularly reported lower stress levels and the ability to complete a greater load of academic work. \nMeanwhile, researchers from St. Lawrence University found that gum-chewing benefits working memory, episodic memory and general information-processing speed. The chewing motion gets blood flowing to the head, leading to neural arousal and making it easier for you to focus and concentrate. \nChewing some gum before a big interview may help you focus on your talking points, remember important information and rid some of the troublesome stress that's bringing down your performance. Popping in a stick of gum doesn\u2019t just ensure minty-fresh breath, it might also improve your interviewing skills. Just don\u2019t forget to get rid of the gum before the actual interview! No interviewer wants to see how many bubbles you can blow or how loudly you can pop your gum.\nSmile like you mean it (and you will)\nWhile you're focused on the questions interviewers might ask and the qualifications you want to highlight, you might be missing an important interview weapon in your arsenal: Your smile. A full 38% of job seekers get so wrapped up in the stress of the interview that they forget to smile. \nSmiling is important, especially when meeting new people, since it helps send the message that you\u2019re friendly and easy to work with. This is especially important when interviewing for client-facing or sales jobs. For instance, if you\u2019re interviewing for a job as a medical sales representative, good people skills are a must \u2014 smiling shows you can connect easily with others.\nAs an added bonus, smiling in the interview just might make you feel happier and more relaxed. Researchers studying the phenomenon have found that expressions may influence emotions. Therefore, if you smile \u2014 even when extremely stressed in an interview setting \u2014 you might actually start to feel happier. Happiness may translate to confidence, and your potential employers are likely to pick up on this. So don\u2019t be afraid to flash those pearly whites; they just might nab you the job. \nMirror body language\n\nImage: Flickr, Philippe Moreau ChevroletIt\u2019s a fact of life that we tend to like people who remind us of ourselves; humans are a little egocentric that way. Therefore, mirroring body language in an interview can lead to more positive feelings from the interviewer. Research has found that mimicry can leave people with more positive feelings, and even make others more persuasive. \nIf you want to persuade an interviewer that you\u2019re the perfect person for the job, subtly mirror nonverbal gestures. This includes pitch and tone, body language, posture and body orientation. Don\u2019t go overboard and copy your interviewer\u2019s every gesture; remember you want to build a bond, not creep them out. Being subtly aware of body language, however, can make you a smarter interview subject and a more appealing hire.\nInterviews can be stressful, but it\u2019s important to remember that you\u2019re in charge of your own destiny. By utilizing some of these mental hacks, you may just nail the interview and land your dream job.\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.\nMashable Job Board Listings\nThe Mashable Job Board connects job seekers across the U.S. with unique career opportunities in the digital space. While we publish a wide range of job listings, we have selected a few job opportunities from the past several weeks to help get you started. Happy hunting!\n\nUX and Digital Design Manager at Crown Equipment Corporation in New Bremen, Ohio\nMarketing Operations Manager at Fluidigm in San Francisco, California\nUX/Visual Designer at Kandu in New York, New York\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/06/03/interview-mental-hacks/>