Do Your Research

One way to make a positive impression is to know something about the company. Use the major search engines to find as much information about the company as possible. Make a visit to the company website and read all of the product/services information as well as the bios of the executives that run the company. For example, if the President of the company happens to be in the news for his/her contribution to a charity, make a mental note of that and mention it in the interview at an appropriate time. Most interviewers will ask candidates what they know about the company. The one with some good research under the belt will be impressive.

Brush Up on Your Interviewing Skills

Most people admit to being nervous and anxious about an interview. Being totally prepared is the key to alleviating the interview jitters. Some suggestions are:

• Make a list of your skills, experience, and accomplishments relating to the job descriptions. Practice saying them out loud.
• Arrive 5 minutes early and take some deep breaths.
• Paint a picture in your mind of the interview and being able to answer all of the questions in a professional, impressive manner.
• Research interviewing questions online and choose 10-15 questions you think might relate to the job. Write your own answers and review them several times.
• Role play with a friend or relative and ask for constructive feedback. If you can sit in front of a mirror, it will give you an idea of how your body language and facial expressions appear to others. A video tape is even better.
• Map you route and do a dry run prior to the interview. There is a tremendous amount of anxiety associated with being lost and late.
• At the end of the interview, ask about the next steps and any unanswered questions in the mind of the interviewer.
• Write a thank you note and mail to the interviewer reiterating a couple of major offers you have for the position.
• Follow-up in 3-5 days if no response.

Dress and Hygiene

How a candidate is dressed is very important. Even if the dress code is business casual, dress for the interview appropriately.

Men- Dark blue, grey, or black suit is standard. White shirt and tasteful tie is the safest suggestion. A polished shoe and matching socks speaks volumes.

Women- A nice skirt or pants suit is standard. Jewelry with small post earrings and gold or silver plain necklaces are often worn. Hose is recommended with a skirt suit and closed toed shoes are still in the interviewing vogue. Safe colors are blue, grey, black, brown, and burgundy. Makeup that is applied in a subtle manner is best. Due to allergies and personal taste, it is recommended to omit perfume or cologne in interviews.

Suggestions:

* Do not smoke prior to the interview as the odor lingers. Smoke offends some people and others can be allergic.
* A good mouthwash and deodorant is part of the interview regime.
* Good hair grooming is essential and clean, shining hair is a huge plus.
* Men should be cleanly shaven or if a beard or mustache is present, have it neatly groomed.

Resume

A neat, professionally written resume is a number one tool. Have someone proof resumes and have them typed with a good word processing package. Check for grammar and spelling errors and read the resume out loud to see how it flows. Take a few extra with you in a nice portfolio binder to the interview.



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