Coping with Cortisol Fizz: What to Do After Your Interview

You've done it. You've walked out of your first interview for a role outside teaching, and suddenly your body feels like it's been plugged into the mains. Your heart is racing, your mind is spinning, and there's this strange, electric energy coursing through you that feels part excitement, part panic, part relief. Welcome to what I like to call the "cortisol fizz" - that post-interview cocktail of stress hormones that can leave you feeling wired, exhausted, and everything in between.

If you're a teacher stepping into the world of non-teaching interviews for the first time, this feeling might catch you completely off guard. It's not that these interviews are necessarily harder than teaching interviews - but they are different. The language may be unfamiliar, the questions focus on competencies you might not have articulated before, and crucially, you might not have interviewed for anything in years. Add to that the reality that you'll likely wait a little longer to hear back (rather than the same or next day feedback common in education), meaning your nervous system has plenty of time to keep that stress response activated.

The Science Behind the Fizz

That buzzing sensation isn't your imagination - it's your body's very real response to what it perceives as a high-stakes situation. During your interview, your system was flooded with cortisol and adrenaline, priming you for peak performance. Now that it's over, those chemicals don't just switch off. They continue circulating, creating that jittery, restless energy that can persist for hours or even days.

For teachers used to the familiar rhythm of school life (as relentless as that can sometimes be!), this intensity can feel overwhelming. You might find yourself pacing your living room, unable to settle, replaying every answer you gave and every expression your interviewer made. Your brain, still in hypervigilant mode, is processing and reprocessing every detail, searching for clues about how you performed.

This is completely normal. Your nervous system is simply doing what it's designed to do - keeping you alert and ready for action until it's certain the "threat" has passed.

The Immediate Aftermath: First 24 Hours

The first few hours after your interview are often the most intense. This is when the cortisol fizz is at its peak, and your mind is most likely to spiral into overthinking territory. You might find yourself:

Replaying specific moments on repeat ("Why did I say that about my lesson planning experience?")
Physically unable to sit still or concentrate on anything else
Oscillating between confidence ("I think that went well!") and panic ("I completely messed up that question about stakeholder management")
Feeling simultaneously exhausted and wired

The key during this phase is to acknowledge what's happening without trying to fight it. Your body needs to metabolise those stress chemicals, and the best way to help this process is through gentle movement and conscious breathing.

Take a walk, even if it's just a short one. The rhythmic movement helps your nervous system recognise that the "danger" has passed and begins the process of returning to baseline. If you can't get outside, try some kitchen dancing, bouncing, jumping on the spot, or even vigorous shaking - anything that gets your body moving and helps discharge that pent-up energy to complete the stress cycle. Deep, slow breathing - in through your nose for four counts, hold for four, out through your mouth for six - can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system and start the wind-down process.

Some teachers, particularly those who've experienced burnout or high workplace stress, may find that their nervous systems are already stretched thin, making the interview stress feel more intense and longer-lasting. This isn't a sign of weakness - it's a sign that your system needs extra support and care during this transition period.

The Overthinking Trap

Here's where many of us get stuck: the compulsive mental replay. Your brain, trying to be helpful, keeps serving up moments from the interview for analysis. "Should I have mentioned my experience with data analysis?" "Did they seem impressed when I talked about my project management skills?" "Was that pause after my salary expectations question a good sign or a bad sign?"

Whilst learning from your interview experience can be productive, this overthinking nindset serves no practical purpose - the interview is done, and no amount of analysis will change what happened. But understanding why your brain does this can help you respond with compassion rather than frustration.

Your mind is essentially trying to prepare you for next time. It's scanning for threats, successes, and areas for improvement. The problem is that this process can become obsessive, creating more stress rather than useful insights.

When you catch yourself in an overthinking spiral, try the "three questions" technique:

Is this thought helping me right now?
Can I do anything to change what happened?
What would I tell a friend who was having these thoughts?

Usually, the answers are no, no, and something much kinder than what you're telling yourself.

Physical Symptoms and Self-Care

The cortisol fizz isn't just mental - it manifests physically too. You might experience:

Difficulty sleeping, despite feeling exhausted
Changes in appetite (either not hungry at all or stress-eating)
Muscle tension, particularly in your shoulders and jaw
Digestive issues
Heightened emotional sensitivity

These symptoms can persist for several days, especially if this was your first non-teaching interview or if the role feels particularly important to you. This is your cue to be extra gentle with yourself.

Prioritise sleep hygiene, even if actual sleep feels elusive. Create a calming bedtime routine, avoid screens for an hour before bed, and consider some gentle stretching or meditation. Your body is working hard to process the experience, and rest - even if it's not perfect sleep - supports this process.

Nourish yourself well. The temptation might be to survive on coffee and biscuits, but your stressed system needs steady fuel. Protein, complex carbohydrates, and plenty of water help stabilise your energy and support your nervous system's recovery.

The Waiting Game

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of the post-interview period is the uncertainty. Most non-teaching roles don't operate on the quick turnaround that education interviews might have. You could be waiting days or weeks for feedback, and this extended uncertainty can keep your stress response activated.

During this waiting period, it's crucial to channel that nervous energy into something productive rather than letting it simmer in anticipation. This doesn't mean throwing yourself into frantic job searching or endlessly refreshing your email. Instead, consider:

Reflecting kindly on what you learned about yourself during the interview process
Noting what questions you felt confident answering and which ones you'd like to prepare for differently next time
Continuing to build the skills or knowledge areas that came up during your conversation
Maintaining your normal routines as much as possible

The waiting period is also an excellent time to practice a technique known as "radical acceptance" - acknowledging that the outcome is now out of your hands and focusing your energy on what you can control.

Learning from the Fizz

While the cortisol fizz can feel uncomfortable, it's also valuable information. It tells you that you cared about this opportunity, that you pushed yourself outside your comfort zone, and that you're taking meaningful steps toward change. These are all good things, even if they don't feel pleasant in the moment.

Pay attention to what specifically triggered your strongest stress responses. Was it questions about salary negotiations? Technical terminology you weren't familiar with? The formal interview environment itself? This information helps you prepare more effectively for future interviews, both practically and emotionally.

Many teachers find that their second or third non-teaching interview feels dramatically different. The environment becomes more familiar, the language less foreign, and the cortisol fizz much more manageable. You're building resilience and confidence with each experience, even when individual interviews don't result in job offers.

Moving Forward with Confidence

Remember that feeling nervous after an interview doesn't mean you performed poorly. In fact, some level of stress response often indicates that you were appropriately invested in the outcome and likely brought good energy to the conversation.

The cortisol fizz is temporary, but the courage you showed by putting yourself out there isn't. Each interview - regardless of the outcome - is building your confidence and familiarity with the non-teaching job market. You're developing new skills, expanding your comfort zone, and proving to yourself that you can navigate unfamiliar professional territories.

Your teaching background has given you incredible resilience and adaptability. The same qualities that helped you manage a classroom full of children, adapt to constant curriculum changes, and thrive under pressure are serving you now in this career transition. Trust in these abilities, even when your nervous system is still catching up with your brave choices.

Inside the Academy we offer lots of support with interview preparation (from structuring answers and preparing presentations, to getting into the right mindset and negotiating your benefits) to enable you to shine with confidence.

The fizz will settle, the waiting will end, and you'll be ready for whatever comes next - whether that's celebrating a job offer or applying the insights from this experience to your next opportunity. Either way, you're exactly where you need to be in your journey beyond the classroom.

Categories: : Psychology of Career Change