Let’s be honest: Interviewing for a job can be anxiety-producing — even for the most seasoned candidate. If you’re a cancer survivor, often there is an additional layer of concern about the process that only compounds the nervousness. An article on The Job Network website lists eight helpful tips for managing those pre-interview butterflies so that your best and most confident self shines through.

The first two steps listed in The Job Network article — Plan ahead and Do a run-through — really go hand in hand. Planning and preparation are key for any interviewee. You’ll want to find out everything you can about the company you want to work for, the position you’re going after and the person(s) you’ll be meeting with. Doing so will enable you to speak intelligently about those topics and prove to the interviewer that you are seriously interested in the job. So be sure to do your research.

You also want to practice answering anticipated interview questions. This step is particularly important for cancer survivors, some of whom may have a gap on their resume as a result of taking time off for treatment. So you’ll want to give careful thought to how you’ll respond to such questions — and be sure you know which questions employers are allowed to ask. Craft your answers ahead of time, then practice going over them with a friend or family member, so your responses are polished and share only the information you want a prospective boss to know. Knowing what you want to say and having the words come easily is going to up your confidence level and quell those nerves.

Another tip for allaying pre-interview fears and ensuring that you’re presenting your best self is to rest up, eat right and get a little exercise, if possible. While that might sound very basic, it can actually make a big difference — especially for cancer survivors. Chemotherapy, radiation and other forms of treatment can cause profound fatigue, and it’s not uncommon for feelings exhaustion to continue long after treatment is over. Getting enough sleep, eating nutritious meals and doing some heart-pumping, endorphin-releasing exercise can help boost your mood and your memory, ensuring that you’re feeling on top of your game as you head into your interview.

To read the complete Job Network article, click here.

For more on job interviews, check out our Interviewing section, which includes tips & methods for successful interviews, how to conduct mock interviews and the benefit of informational interviews.