1. Attire: you must be well put together; your appearance is the interviewers’ first impression of you even before you have said a word.
Clean and fitted shirts or slacks, closed toe shoes.
Clean nails in neutral colors.
Clean and simple hairstyle.
2. Prepare: Always prepare before the day of the interview.
Research the company before the interview; it looks great when you show interest in the company by finding out the basic facts.
Research the position, it relays poorly to the interviewer when you don’t know the job description for the position you’re applying for.
Find out exactly how you’re going to get to the interview before hand so that there is no confusion when you’re traveling to the interview (i.e. www.hopstop.com).
Always arrive 10-15 minutes before the interview. To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late and to be late is not acceptable.
Confirm the interview time by calling or emailing the interviewer the day before.
Have about 3-5 hard copies of your resume, to give the interviewers the day of the interview. You never know how many people will interview you that day, don’t assume it will be just one person.
Remember to always use resume paper in a subtle color such as off-white.
Remember to keep your resume in a folder in order to hand over a presentable copy to the interviewer.
Prepare about 3-5 questions to ask the interviewer after the interview.
3. The interview
Sit up straight, smile and relax. Show your potential employee that you are very confident and you are happy to be there!
Listen carefully before answering the questions and do not be afraid to ask them to repeat the question if you did not hear or understand the question.
Keep eye contact to show that you’re interested and you’re listening to what he or she is saying.
4. The end of the interview
Before leaving, shake their hands and thank them for their time.
Take their business card so that you can email them a thank you letter when you get home.
In addition to thanking the person you talked with, the thank you note reinforces the fact that you want the job.
Use your letter to address your strengths and qualities and you want to highlight that may have been missed in your interview. In other words, restate why you want the job, what your qualifications are, how you might make significant contributions, and so on.
It should be brief and concise. A few brief paragraphs are sufficient.
