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[basementwall]

Yeah, I favor the jump-up-and-down-and-stretch-along-with-some-hot-tea kind of relaxing before phone interviews. If I do that, it ends up just as it does before the first day of any class, or before a conference presentation: nervous until I start talking, when I realize that I know how to talk to people.

[tee_bee]

I've always been partial to Valium. Pro-tip: don't use any chemicals until you figure out what they really do. In all seriousness, though, most health care types would caution against using booze to mitigate anxiety. But since I'm not a real doctor, I'll say this--a nice rye whiskey makes everything a whole lot better.

[atlchemist]

I perused damnyouautocorrect.com before my phone interviews.

[ruralguy]

I think all it might do is make you perform worse, but just not realize it or care as much!

Better to perform well, and be nervous.

[bcohlan1]

I did it. It seemed to help. Unfortunately I can't go back and do the same interview sober and measure the difference.

I think all it might do is make you perform worse, but just not realize it or care as much!

Better to perform well, and be nervous.

I think this is correct if you can handle your nerves. If booze will keep you from having a panic attempt or from being literally incapable of speech (as in my case), it's a go.

[mystictechgal]

I'd do a stiff shot of rum or whiskey. About time the interview starts, you'd have that warm feeling in the belly.

Cliff Clavin from Cheers would support it:

“Well, you see, Norm, it’s like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it’s the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”

HOF! Brilliant. I started laughing so hard when I read this that my waitress was afraid I might choke on mt taco.

[merinoblue]

Some slow, deep breathing on the sofa is always nice.

[monsterx]

...But don't try it at the campus interviews.

For those, Bailey's in a thermos is better.
OP, you will be fine.  One shot won't make you loopy, I expect, but only do it if you think you'll enjoy it.  Perhaps some cardio in the am before the interview could help as well--burn off some nervous energy, maybe with some rocking music to lighten your mood?
Good luck!!

Bailey's is nice for this kind of thing (but fattening), because you can slip it into your coffee and it just looks like cream.  If you do it with whiskey, they'll know you're an alcoholic. 

[kron3007]

I had a shot of whiskey before my MSc defense.  It's hard to determine if it helped or not, but one shot will certainly not have a dramatic impact on your performance unless you are a lightweight.  I dont do this type of thing anymore as I dont get as nervous, but why not try it out and see.

[fedscholar]

Never did any of this for an interview.

However, I do recall taking a weeder chem class as an undergraduate. Studied everything backwards and forwards. I took the first exam, and found they gave us about 1.5 hours of exam to complete in 45 minutes. Bombed due to mental seizure and general panic. It was not about knowledge so much as performing triage under extreme duress. Next exam, I studied just the same, then slammed a 16 oz. beer before the test. Aced it. Never did that again, but I never had another professor who was quite so ruthless. It did work though.

Kava is a little milder, and it has a similar effect.

[atlchemist]

My husband used to take a shot before oral exams in his foreign language classes. Which, I suppose, are not all that different from an interview. Haha.

[conjugate]

It may work for some people.  For me, I screwed up a few phone interviews, and then eventually learned how to handle them.  This is much the same way I handle lectures; I've learned how to prepare, so I'm no longer nervous about it.

Chamomile tea, or soft music, or something funny, or relaxing and playing with a pet beforehand, all might make you feel better.  It depends on you, really.

[jmargerum]

Beta blockers, if nerves are having a substantive impact.  Not hard to get a prescription for those. Some people have had success with Cebocap, which I heartily recommend.

Not to sound like a prude, but self-medicating with alcohol sounds like a great way to step onto a path you may deeply regret later.  When I'm not a prof, I'm a professional musician and I've known plenty of guys who started with one to calm their nerves, then thought that if one is good, two is better, and from there downhill.

Jon

[atlchemist]

Beta blockers, if nerves are having a substantive impact.  Not hard to get a prescription for those. Some people have had success with Cebocap, which I heartily recommend.

One of my friends mentioned that his partner took propanolol (beta-blocker) before his campus interview to minimize the physiological manifestations of stage fright. However, because it is a hypertension drug, my cardiologist husband cautioned me against taking it. I get orthostatic hypertension on occasion, and we decided that some anxiety was better than the risk of passing out during my teaching demonstration.

But beta-blockers do work well for stage fright in many people.