Tips to attend for best Interview

Good news! You’ve been asked to meet with an employer face-to-face. Consider yourself successful. Obviously your resume, cover letter, and/or contacts have paid off and someone is expressing that they may want to hire you. Even when you have gone on more interviews than you can count, job interviewing never seems to get any easier. With each job interview, you are meeting new people, selling yourself and your skills, and often getting the third degree about what you know or don’t know. You’re probably excited and even nervous about attending an interview. Should you be? Yes and no. Yes, it is natural to be excited and nervous about an interview because it means you are enthusiastic about the prospect of employment. Employers want people who really want the job. Yet it is important to make sure that you aren’t nervous due to the “unknown” of interviews. Are you nervous because you don’t know what to anticipate? If so, it is important to do your best to eliminate that feeling. You can do so by following these tips:

Tips for Attending Interviews

1. Practice and Prepare:

Nothing is more important than preparation when it comes to an interview. Preparation includes research. Research the company, the job description, and even the person you are about to meet if possible. Your answers should also emphasize the skills that are most important to the employer and relevant to the position. Be sure to review the job listing, make a list of the requirements, and match them to your experience. Know as much as you can about what the employer is looking for before you attend the interview. Be prepared to show how your experience can meet and even exceed the company’s needs. Anticipate interview questions and prepare how you will answer them. Prepare good questions about the position and the company. It is important to have at least one or two questions prepared in order to demonstrate your interest in the organization. Practice interviewing with a friend or family member ahead of time, and it will be much easier when you’re actually in a job interview

2. Organize:

Organization is another part of preparation. Nothing can make you feel more nervous or look more bumbling than a lack of organization. It also tells the employer that you will behave similarly once you have the job. Organize your materials so you can easily access them for application purposes and on the interview itself. Know what time you are to attend the interview and be there early. Organize all your details including clothing, travel route, contact phone numbers, materials, etc. in advance so you don’t feel rushed, flustered, or confused before or during the interview.

3. Research the company:

You should be able to find out a lot of information about the company’s history, mission and values, staff, culture, and recent successes on its website. If the company has a blog and a social media presence, they can be useful places to look, too. With some preparation, you’ll be able to present yourself as a candidate any organization would love to hire.

4. Behave:

You know how your mother told you to “behave?!” Well, there’s no better time to behave than on an interview. It’s a time to be professional and use your best manners. Today there are more opportunities than ever to do the wrong thing on an interview. For example,
• Don’t let your cell phone ring when you attend an interview.
• Don’t wear a Bluetooth on your ear.
• Don’t carry in a cup of coffee.
• Even while you are waiting, try to avoid constant texting or listening to music through ear buds or playing games on your phone. Someone may be watching you to see how you spend your time.
• Do take the time to review your materials.
• Do observe the office.
• Do be polite and shake hands, smile and be friendly.
• Do take part in conversation but not to the point that you’re rambling about personal details. The interviewer doesn’t need to know about your recent divorce or your honor roll student.
• Be yourself but be professional. Engage in conversations the interviewer initiates.
• Try your best to use good body language including straight posture. Try not to fidget. Eliminate anything that causes you to do so.

5. Dress for Interview Success:

The first impression you make on a potential employer can make a big difference in the outcome of your job interview. The first judgment an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing.

6. Be On the Time for Interview:

Be on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If need be, drive to the interview location ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there. Take into account the time of your interview so you can adjust for local traffic patterns at that time. Give yourself a few extra minutes to visit the restroom, check your outfit and calm your nerves.

7. Thank:

An important part of attending an interview is how you leave an interview. Thank the hiring manager for the opportunity to present your qualifications. You can show your interest by asking questions about when you can expect to hear about their decision and you should express that you are interested in having the job. Use your thank you letter, as well, to address any issues and concerns that came up during the interview.

Using these tips for attending interviews will help you in any job interview. If you follow through with these tips you will place yourself above many other candidates. Employers often find themselves frustrated by a candidate’s lack of interviewing skills. Often those with great qualifications end up being disappointments to those who had high hopes of hiring them. Don’t be a disappointment – present the candidate they saw in your resume. Exceed their expectations.

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