“Thank you for meeting with me today.” “Have a great day.”

You can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The interview is over!

As you’re shutting down your laptop or exiting the building, reality suddenly hits. Did you ace the interview? Was it obvious you were nervous while shaking the interviewer’s hand? Did you maintain enough eye contact?

It’s pretty normal to worry after an interview. I mean, you want the job, of course. But overanalyzing your interview will not solve anything.

Here are some practical ways to cope with post-interview anxiety.

Stop overanalyzing your answers

Easier said than done, right?

Well, overanalyzing your answers does more harm than good. Let’s face it. You have already completed the interview. And you can’t change the outcome. What you can do though, is give yourself praise for all your hard work and efforts.

Instead of overanalyzing, you can always record the questions asked and use them to practice for your next interview. That way, you’re more than prepared.

Write a thank you note right away

If you’re still overthinking your interview, sending a thank you note can ease your jitters.

Please note – it should be sent within days of your interview. This helps to keep the interview fresh in the interviewer’s mind.

The note should begin by thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterating the value you can bring to their organization. To ensure your message is professional, consider using a formal tone. And make sure it’s concise too!

Focus on your next goal

What’s next? You might be wondering.

Well, that’s completely up to you. However, having a distraction is one way to avoid over-thinking.

So focus on your next goal. It could be continuing with your job search and applying for more jobs. Or you can complete courses on LinkedIn to improve your employability. In addition, you can watch videos on YouTube to help prepare for future interviews.

Plus, it’s helpful to cope with post-interview anxiety.

Learn from your mistakes

If you made mistakes during your interview, take it as a learning opportunity to improve.

Did you find it challenging to answer situational questions? If you did, that’s one takeaway you can use as your target point to prepare for future interviews. And ace them!

Acknowledging your mistakes is one thing. But learning from them is essential, which requires having a plan and sticking to it.

Talk to someone

Mission 101: Call your best friend or close relative.

Talking to someone is one of the best ways to reduce your anxiety levels after an interview. Knowing you can vent to a friend or sibling helps you to de-stress. Consider telling them about the interview and how you’re feeling.

Plus, if you start doubting yourself, I’m sure they’ll have the best advice to help you.

So, the next time you have an interview, have your friend on speed dial for when it’s officially over.

Interviews can be nerve-racking, and we tend to feel anxious after doing them. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Follow the tips mentioned to overcome your post-interview anxiety. Don’t worry; I’m sure you will ace your interviews!

Networking 101. Here’s everything you need to know.

Follow IGNITE on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for all things student life.