Presentation
Whatever position you are interviewing for, generally speaking, a neat, clean and conservative personal appearance is the way to go.
Communication
Communication skills are very important in any job, particularly during the application process. It’s important to remember that communication encompasses not only an ability to articulate yourself well, but also the ability to listen! You must respect when it is appropriate to speak during an interview, and when not to. If you can speak well and confidently then you can sell yourself to a potential employer.
Your body language is also a communication tool. How you hold yourself, your physical reactions to questions asked of you and your overall demeanor all contribute to the message you send the interviewer. Don’t appear too relaxed, but don’t appear uptight either. Try to keep nervous twitches to a minimum and look happy!
Make eye contact. When speaking, always make direct eye contact with your interviewer. If you are being interviewed by more than one person, be sure to make even eye contact with each of them as you speak. This will demonstrate confidence and belief in your suitability for the job.
Preparation
Don’t ever enter an interview unprepared. You are going to be asked questions about your resume, your experience, your strengths and weaknesses, examples of when you have worked as part of a team, your ideas, your ambitions and more. You have to have the answers and they should be relevant and succinct.
Always undertake some research into the business or company with whom you are interviewing. Look at the web site, visit their stores, try their services/products. To be able to ask a question or make comment on some aspect of the business will demonstrate that you have a real interest.
Know your resume intimately. Certain parts of your resume will no doubt be of particular interest to your interviewer and they will ask you to elaborate. Always have examples of relevant experience to recount or show the interviewer in addition to those in your resume.
Always take the opportunity at the end of the interview to ask questions. It will demonstrate an interest in your work and the environment the employer can offer if you ask questions other than salary, hours, holiday provisions etc. A good example is to as what kind of organisational culture exists in the workplace so you have an idea of the personality of the place. This is an important question if you are to decide whether the job is right for you and your employment ideals.
Interview No-no’s
When answering questions in an interview, keep it truthful! Don’t exaggerate, make it up or blatantly lie to make yourself sound better or more qualified. It will usually be obvious you’re lying or you’ll find yourself hired with responsibilities you can’t manage.
Keep the resume truthful too.
In terms of the delivery of your answers, don’t over answer with irrelevant waffle that doesn’t quite get to the point. Equally, one word answers should be avoided.
Never make derogatory remarks regarding previous employers. This indicates a negative attitude that no employer will find attractive.
Lasting Impression
Throughout the interview, you should aim to appear confident, motivated and know when to speak and when to listen.
The interview is a brief opportunity to make a positive impression on a potential employer. To make that impression a lasting one, always offer polite thanks to your interviewer/s for their time and consideration. If you leave the interview confident it is a job you really want, follow up the next day with a call or short email of thanks the next day. This shows enthusiasm and determination.
