Interview and Food habits

On the day of the interview your food habit is a key factor which influence your success. A very heavy food may sometimes play the trick on you. Taking certain type of food items is a good idea on a regular day but on the day of your job interview-not so much. Food items which contain high levels of tryptophan can make you feel sleepy. You need to be on your guard during the interview, and drowsiness will negatively affect your mental alertness. Yawning frequently will not impress your interviewer.

Although these type of food is one of the most commonly known foods for causing sleepiness, there are many others that you should avoid on interview days to ensure that your eye lids are not getting heavy at an inappropriate time.

Here are some other foods to avoid before an interview:

1. Rice

White rice has a high glycaemic index; according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who eat jasmine rice will fall asleep even faster than those eating other rice types.

2. Walnuts

Walnuts are a good source of tryptophan. Researchers at the University of Texas also found that walnuts contain Melatonin, which helps control sleep and wake cycles.

3. Cereal and Milk

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the combination of carbohydrates, calcium, and tryptophan from this morning meal will give you a free ticket to dreamland.

4. Bananas

Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium and potassium, which help to relax overstressed muscles. They also contain tryptophan which may lead to sleepiness. On interview days, choose a citrus fruit with Vitamin C which can boost your body’s immune system.

5. Soup

If your interviewer is taking you out to lunch skip the soup.  Soup contains amino acids that may boost the production of melatonin. Also, research shows that warm liquids like soup may help you sleep better.

6. Onions, Garlic and Spicy Aromatic Foods

Bad breath is probably the worst bad impression you can make on a recruiter.

7. Beans

These ingredients can upset your stomach, or worse.

8. Too Much Water

It’s important to keep yourself hydrated, but don’t drink an entire bottle before the interview. The recruiter won’t appreciate it if you have to excuse yourself three times just to go to the restroom.

10. Greasy and Sugary Foods

French fries may taste good, unfortunately, sugary and greasy foods can pull you down after its effects wear out and you may not also want to hand in your resume with grease stain.

You are what you eat, so what you eat before the interview is crucial to your success. After that, you can eat all the food you want.

If you have wondered why you get sleepy in the middle of the day or even in the afternoon, it could be your food. Though it is true that a heavy meal can make you feel drowsy, if you manage to eat the right foods, you can save yourself from that sleepy nod of embarrassment.
So next time, on an important work day, make sure you eat the right stuff and save yourself from yawning in that important meeting!