Well, you have made it this far. Unless you have some connections on the inside of an organization, getting an interview can be a difficult feat. Depending on the job and the company, you can be in competition with literally thousands of applicants. Now, your goal is to make yourself stand out among the rest as the best possible candidate for the job. How do you do this? Read on and find out!
Preparation, of course, is the key to the whole thing. Start with your clothing. What is suitable attire for a job interview? Depending on the job you are interviewing for and the company's standards of dress, there is a range of possibilities. The basic outfit for a man is usually a dress shirt, dress slacks, tie, and dress shoes. This would be suitable for a man who interviewing for a number of positions. If you are interviewing for an office position, a business suit would, of course, be called for.
For a woman, a nice dress or skirt and blouse worn with dressy shoes would probably be a suitable outfit. Women can even wear a pantsuit as long as it is dressy and looks professional. There again, the outfit depends on the job that you are interviewing for. Make sure whatever outfit you wear is clean and pressed. Remember to pay special attention to your shoes. Make sure your shoes are clean and polished. And, unless, you are applying for a job as a tennis instructor, hula dancer, or construction worker, do not wear tennis shoes, sandals or thongs, or work boots to your interview.
Make sure, before you leave home, that your face is shaved, (men only, of course), your hair is neatly combed or styled, and that your hands, including underneath your fingernails, are clean and neat. Women can wear make-up if it's not overdone, and both sexes should take it easy on the old stinky stuff.You don't want to offend your prospective employer right off the bat with an overpowering stench of perfume or after shave.
Plan to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early for your interview. Companies sometimes have paperwork for you to fill out, and, anyhow, you want to make a good impression of being punctual.
Once you arrive for your interview, remember to be pleasant and mannerly to each and every person you come in contact with, and that includes receptionists, secretaries, security guards, etc. Stand up and sit up straight and in a professional, business-like manner. Don't slouch in your chair; act alert and interested.
Answer all of the questions the interviewer gives you. It doesn't hurt to talk yourself up in order to try and sell yourself, but don't overdue it either. Be prepared to answer tricky questions that interviewers tend to ask, such as where you want to be in ten years from now. If you don't answer that you want to be employed at that certain company in a higher position than you started out at, then you are going to fail miserably. Watch out for tricky lead ons such as, "Tell me about yourself..." too. Don't sit there and blab on and on about yourself. Tell the interviewer about a hobby, your family, etc., but be brief.
Be especially prepared to explain any time lapses in your work history. Many prospective employers are very interested in that. Be honest. If you were unemployed, then say so. Don't try to lie by saying you were out of the country or that you were self-employed if you really weren't. Honesty counts, and prospective employers have ways to tell if you are lying or not!
Don't forget to thank the interviewer for his or her time at the end of your session. Then, don't forget to send a written thank-you note to the person who interviewed you. This is common courtesy, and by using it, you can help to put yourself above the rest of the crowd!
