Why do I always say stupid things when it comes to interviews?
Your nervousness and poor performance in interviews is a form of PERFORMANCE ANXIETY. You feel stressed because you recognize the situation is important in order for you to achieve something you value highly. The pressure you feel in these types of phone calls is even more pronounced because they are sprung on you without notice and you feel totally unprepared. I have learned to overcome my own performance anxiety from experiences in athletics and public speaking. For the longest time, I could never do enough practice and preparation in either case that seemed to help me when the moment to perform arrived. Bumbling and stumbling nervousness always seemed to ruin everything until I took to heart a few simple concepts: 1. People you talk to in a speech or in an interview want and expect to like you. Before you even open your mouth, they are already on your side. Your audience or interviewer goes into the situation rooting for you to do well, they want you to be their new best friend. So,
