Being contacted by a potential employer to schedule an interview is very exciting. It means that the resume and the application you submitted to them captured their attention in a positive way. However, it can also be stressful because the interview process is one more hurdle that you have to overcome in order to get the job offer. There will be other people interviewed as well so you have to be able to deliver a memorable performance.
Your appearance is very important so don’t underestimate that first impression. Take your time to dress very well for it. Your clothing needs to be clean, ironed, and even your shoes need to be clean. Arriving before your scheduled interview time shows you are serious about it. If you arrive late, you may as well forget any real chance of being hired for it.
Always account for the unexpected so that you won’t miss your interview. If you know how long it takes to get there, give yourself 15 minutes extra just in case. If you aren’t sure where the place is located give yourself an extra hour to find it or go looking for it the day before. This will help to reduce any anxiety you may have as you go into your job interview.
Do your homework before you show up for the interview. Make sure you understand what this business has to offer, their goals, and even what type of attire is worn there. Anything you have questions about you can find out from their website or by calling their receptionist. This way you are able to present yourself in a manner that is parallel with what they need from an employee.
Some people sound very good on paper but when it comes to the interview process they choke. Being prepared is the best way to reduce your level of anxiety and to do well for your job interview. Don’t be in a rush to answer questions so that you have a few seconds to formulate your answer. There are plenty of common job interview questions that will be asked so become familiar with them.
Try to relax and offer information that is relevant. Be conscious of what you are saying so that you don’t ramble on. If you have a job interview with several people instead of just one, make sure you make eye contact several times with each of them before you are finished.
What you will find though is that many of the questions asked at a job interview are open ended. This means the interviewer is attempting to get you to tell them things about yourself, your ethics, and your work experiences. They may ask you things that are tough to answer too such as what your biggest weakness is or to talk about the worst boss you have had. There are ways to spin these into positive things though so have some answers in place that are sincere and that will satisfy what they are looking for.
Many employers will finish up the job interview by asking you if you have any questions. If you have something on your mind then feel free to bring it up. At the very least you want to thank them for their time and ask when they will be making a final decision. That way you have an idea of when you should be hearing back from them.
After you leave a job interview, you want to immediately send them a handwritten thank you note. This is a gesture that seems to be lost most of the time so it is going to give you an advantage. You want to do it immediately too when they are still likely deciding on who to contact for second interviews or who to offer the job to. If you don’t hear back by the end of the time frame that you were given, give them a polite phone call to follow up as well. This is definitely going to give them the impression that you are very interested in working for them.
