By Laura McMullen,

Five ways to neutralize nerves and find your focus.

Your suit is ironed, tucked and free of cat hairs. Your own hairs are combed, your padfolio is organized and your employer research is thorough. And your mind? For this interview, you've packed it like a filing cabinet: Answers to typical interview questions are filed under A; smart questions you plan to ask your interviewers are under Q; and examples of your achievements are under E.

But although you've set yourself up for success, a shiver of doubt may slink up your suit in that darkest hour before the interview. Nerves set in. You try to appear relaxed, but not boring. Enthused, but not abrasive. Prepared, but not canned.

Don't let last-minute anxiety spoil your long-term preparation. Follow this expert advice to feel calm and focused in the hour before a job interview:

1. Warm up your vocal cords. Talk about a quick confidence killer: introducing yourself to the interviewers only to have your voice crack or sound strained. Don't let a weak, I-woke-up-an-hour-ago voice set the tone for the rest of the day. Lewis Lin, founder and CEO of Impact Interview, an interview coaching service, suggests warming up your vocal cords, especially before phone interviews. Before the interview – say, on the drive to the office – speak through your talking points loud and clear, "as if you were an actor or actress getting ready for an audition," Lin says. 

2. Do some last-minute LinkedIn research. Being likable in the interview is key, Lin says. After all, your interviewers are not only hiring, say, a product manager. They're hiring someone they'll encounter daily: at meetings, in the break room, at happy hours and in the buffet line of holiday parties. Show the interviewers you're someone they should want to work with. "A great way to build that chemistry, that rapport with the interviewer, is to be able to relate to the interviewer," Lin says.

He suggests using the hour before the interview to scan your interviewers' profiles on LinkedIn and Twitter, as well as any personal website they have or articles written about them. Did you and one of your interviewers attend neighboring colleges? Do you both know Pete from Boston? Did you attend the same conference last summer? Breathe easier knowing you have a shared connection to mention come interview time.

3. Strike a power pose. Consider your pre-interview posture, says Susan Joyce, an online job search expert. She suggests looking at the research and TED Talk of social psychologist Amy Cuddy, an associate professor? at Harvard Business School. ?Cuddy's work shows that power poses can boost confidence, and as Joyce points out, what better time to feel confident than minutes before speaking to a prospective employer?

Joyce suggests ducking into a restroom stall before the interview and trying the starfish pose. With your feet spread apart, "you raise your arms up to the sky, you look up to the ceiling and you smile," Joyce says. "It’s an amazing quick fix to confidence."

4. Think happy thoughts. This will be easier to do after those poses, Joyce says. She and Lin say candidates often put tons of pressure on themselves: What if I blow this interview, and then I don't get the job, and then I don't get an interview for another six months, and then I can't pay rent? And so on. "End-of-world-type scenarios start dancing through our heads," Lin says, "and that’s clearly not going to be helpful when you’ve got that much pressure."

Lin's suggestion for showing you're passionate about the position, but not crazy-eyed and desperate? "Have that kind of kid-like wonder," he says.? "Like, 'Hey, I’m just going to have this conversation with another professional in the industry. I get to share my experiences, the things I’ve learned and I hope we get a chance to learn about the other person and the experiences they’ve had.'” 

Joyce recommends repeating a few positive affirmations. Think: "I'm perfectly qualified for this job. I'm perfectly qualified for this job. I'm perfectly qualified for this job."

5. Calm your nerves. "Nerves mess up a lot of interviews," Lin says. "Whatever ritual [or] routine or habit that works for you to get in the right mindset to come across as relaxed and confident is really important."  He suggests exercising if you have the time before suiting up or watching a clip from your favorite movie. Listening to music can help you focus, too. Watch pregame coverage of a professional sporting event?, and you'll see most players entering the facility while listening to music on their headphones, Lin points out. (Ray Lewis, former NFL linebacker once told Men's Journal that he listened to Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" before every game with the Baltimore Ravens to get fired up.)

Whether you're about to tackle quarterbacks or a high-stakes interview, simply taking deep breaths will help settle your nerves, too, Lin and Joyce say. Before you enter the building, as you sit in the reception area and as you open wide in starfish pose, take a few long inhales through the nose and exhales through the mouth.

As Joyce sums up: "Take a big deep breath, put a smile on your face and roll with it."