Your palms are sweaty, the knot in your throat just won’t go away and your interview is just minutes away. You rapidly begin to panic and before you know it, you hear your name called and it’s now your time to shine. Well, let me give you a piece of advice: Interviews aren’t deadly and they don’t have to make you weak in the knees. With a few tips on how to keep your calm before and during your interview, those butterflies in your stomach can disappear quicker than you knew possible.

Before the interview, have a friend ask you a few questions that you think you might be asked during the interview. Make sure you answer them honestly and be bold with your responses. You don’t want your interviewer to think that you can’t speak up for yourself. You have to speak as though what you have to say is important and needs to be heard.

Secondly, pick out a professional outfit that recognizes your personality. If you like to have flare, add a bright scarf or headband. Men, add a bright colored tie. College students are young and it’s OK to show that; just leave the flip-flops and tie-dyed T-shirt at home.

Be sure to get plenty of sleep the night before and wake up early before your interview. While you eat breakfast (which is highly recommended) practice a few questions and even brainstorm some last minute responses that you might want to add to impress the interviewer. Avoid a lot of coffee before your interview because it might add to your already shaky hands.

Lastly, walk into the interview with confidence. Introduce yourself right away and be sure to make direct eye contact followed by a firm hand shake. When the interviewer begins to ask you questions, concentrate on what they are asking so that you can assure you are giving the response they are looking for. Sometimes your nerves can take over and you respond to something that wasn’t even asked; slow down, breathe and think about what you are saying. Remember to smile and answer all questions with confidence and a positive demeanor. You are there to stand out above the rest and stick in the minds of the interviewers.

When the interview is over, remember to shake hands again with those who interviewed you and thank them for their time. Then before you know it, you will be receiving that call asking you to come back for a second interview; it’s that easy. So dry off the sweaty palms and untie the knot in your throat, because you just landed yourself another interview.