I have an interview for a pharmaceutical-based job, writing, as I want to escape academia. It's really good and would be something I would enjoy that uses my PhD, is fairly stable, and pays me money.
It's on Thursday, but I'm now a complete wreck and have butterflies a lot and have started waking up in the night (yes I am a bit neurotic ;-) )
It's the only interview I have lined up, so I'm worried I'll mess it up as I get crippled with nerves over interviews.
Help?!

I'm probably not the best person to respond cos I get really neurotic about interviews too, but I try and think of all the positive things you can bring to the job, what have you got to offer that will put you above everyone else? Try thinking up some good questions to ask too, that always goes down well.
A good distractor always helps too, stick your nose in a good book for a couple of days if you can, or do something that you enjoy that will take your mind off it. I tend to take Kalms for a couple of days before, they help me sleep better
Hope that helps a bit, and good luck

Wear something you really like, that always helps me feel confident. Don't be scared to take a few seconds at the end of a question to think about your answer rather than just say the firs thing that comes into your head. Have a few prepared answers for common questions. I hate the "tell me a bit about yourself" one so always have a prepared answer for that one.

And they know you will be nervous so don't worry too much, once you get past the first few questions I'm sure it will become a lot easier.

What a coincidence, I have an interview on Thursday too! Mine is for a technical advice position at a lab product company. Not my dream job, but I think I would be good at it and it would certainly enable me to learn a lot. The pay is more than I am earning as a shop assitant and the hours are normal Monday to Friday. I bought a suit to wear to the interview today - cost me more than a weeks pay!

I am nervous too, which is bad because when I am nervous, I say really stupid, ditzy things - have to make a conscious effort to think before I speak. My biggest fear is I don't have a strong enough molecular biology knowledge and that I will be asked technical questions that will advertise this.

Good luck, cc!

Good luck Piglet! Yes, I freeze up and give poor answers. I'm reading out answers to questions aloud, but am terrified I don't stand a chance anyway, which is almost a self-fulfilling propecy.
I've broken out in bad acne from stress too!

breathe. then smile. if it's not meant to be, then something else will come up, so be cool

Think of as being a bit like a presentation but without slides (i.e. clue up on all you need to know and how you would answer particular questions). You could practice with a piece of paper, making sure you have a list of bullets of things you want to say or ask. Then just commit them to memory ahead of the interview.

How did you go, cc? Mine wasn't too bad. Three interviewers all sitting looking at me in my spiffy new suit. There was one big question in the middle that they asked me to use an example from my work experience to answer, and I could think of no example. Just cringe every time I think about that bit now. Groan. Apart from that it was okay. Fingers crossed. Hope you are okay cc.

I got the job! Start in 2 weeks .

Have to give notice at my shop assistant job today .

cheers, piglet! glad to hear the good news. do you think this job will be a step towards where you want to go? once you've got your foot in, it might be easier finding the appropriate next job. or is it already what you want, and you can picture yourself staying there for several years?

hah, soon the shop assistant job will be a thing of the past.

Great news, Piglet! It's all upwards from here

Didn't get it, waited nearly 3 weeks based on what they said, and found the message had got lost via the agency 2 weeks earlier.
STILL waiting for feedback!
I wished you luck on another thread Piglet.