Dress appropriately for the industry; on the side of being conservative to show you take the interview seriously. Your personal grooming and cleanliness should be impeccable.
Know the exact time and location of your interview; know how long it takes to get there, park, find a place to freshen up, etc.
Arrive early; 10 minutes prior to the interview start time.
Treat all people you encounter with courtesy and respect. Their opinions of you might be solicited during the recruitment process.
Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact, and have a friendly expression when you are greeted by your interviewer.
Listen to be sure you understand your interviewer’s name and the correct pronunciation.
Maintain good eye contact during the interview and remember it is a formal occasion.
Sit still in your seat; avoid fidgeting and slouching.
Respond to questions and back up your statements about yourself with specific examples whenever possible.
Do focus on your positive characteristics and strengths and qualifications for the job. Do not criticize yourself.
Ask for clarification if you don’t understand a question.
Be thorough in your responses, while being concise in your wording.
Be honest and be yourself — your best professional self. Dishonesty gets discovered and is grounds for withdrawing job offers and for dismissal. You want a good match between yourself and your employer. If you get hired by acting like someone other than yourself, you and your employer will both be unhappy.
Treat the interview seriously and as though you are truly interested in the employer and the opportunity presented.
Exhibit a positive attitude. The interviewer is evaluating you as a potential co-worker. Behave like someone you would want to work with.
Have intelligent questions prepared to ask the interviewer. Having done your research about the employer in advance, ask questions which you did not find answered in your research.
Evaluate the interviewer and the organization s/he represents. An interview is a two-way street. Conduct yourself cordially and respectfully, while thinking critically about the way you are treated and the values and priorities of the organization.
Make sure you understand the employer’s next step in the hiring process; know when and from whom you should expect to hear next.
When the interviewer concludes the interview, offer a firm handshake and make eye contact. Depart gracefully.
After the interview, make notes right away so you don’t forget critical details.
Write a thank-you email to your interviewer promptly.
Interview DON’Ts
Don’t make excuses. Take responsibility for your decisions and your actions.
Don’t make negative comments about previous employers or others you have worked with.
Don’t falsify application materials or answers to interview questions.
Don’t make negative statements about yourself. Don’t make apologies or talk about what you don’t have in your background. Focus on the positive.
Don’t treat the interview casually, as if you are just shopping around or doing the interview for practice. This is an insult to the interviewer and to the organization.
