Preparing For Your Interview - Get That Job!

Your Interview Checklist

There are a few things you should do before going on a job interview. To begin with, conduct research on the company. Study the company's history, their products, and the services they offer. Learn how you can fit into their organization, and visualize the types of questions you could be asked.

If possible, ask a friend or other experienced person to conduct a mock interview to help you prepare. Also, prepare an honest resume. You'll need to highlight your skills and experiences and mention your academic qualifications.

Have your resume, pen and paper together in a briefcase or folder and keep a handkerchief in your pocket just in case you need it. Get a good night's sleep before the interview so that you are fresh and alert.

Enjoy The Interview Experience

Think positively when entering the interview room. Even if you do not get the job, think of it as a learning experience - it is natural to go through a number of job interviews before you land a job.

Even if you have had a negative experience during a particular interview, do not get depressed, just learn from it and move on. Keep your mind fresh and focused on the questions that are being asked. Do not try to bluff your way out of questions you are not sure how to answer. Be honest.

Attending interviews (and doing well!) is a mind game. Keep yourself calm and focused and you will be fine. You can do it!

Just as employers will expect you to adhere to a certain dress code when you work in their offices, they expect you to dress in a certain fashion for interviews and the application process. Violating this unspoken dress code can easily lose you the chance at a job.

'Dress for success' isn't just a catchphrase - you want to convince a potential employer that you take an interviewer seriously and make the best impression you can. Most career counselors will tell you that, because of this need to impress, it is practically impossible to overdress for a job interview.

Professional appearance is an absolute must. While you may not be applying for the sort of job that would require you to wear a suit every day, it still could be worth wearing one for your interview, whether you are male or female. Many women choose interview outfits that include a skirt: with a nice skirt, it is considered professional to wear hose. In general, for both men and women, professional attire should be conservative. This goes beyond avoiding low cut shirts - colors should be on the subdued side, as well.

Furthermore, your clothes should be clean and wrinkle-free. Avoid clothing with stains and holes. Your personal appearance (hair, fingernails, etc.) should be equally neat. Make up, perfume, and aftershave should be just as subtle as your clothing choices.

But dressing for your interview goes beyond just picking clothes. Accessories can be very important. Many applicants will pick out a very professional outfit but will grab any pair of shoes to wear with it. Consider the effect of your entire outfit. Dress shoes will match professional attire far better than tennis shoes would.

Jewelry can also play a crucial role. Just as your clothing should be subdued, try to choose jewelry that will not distract an interviewer from your abilities. Depending on the company you are interviewing with, you may also need to consider removing certain types of piercings. While some employers have no objection to them, others prefer not to hire candidates with obvious piercings, especially facial piercings. The same can hold true for tattoos and certain ways of dying one's hair. If you do have tattoos, generally, you can improve your standing as a candidate by wearing clothing that covers them, or at least does not bring attention to them.

Many career counselors also recommend wearing clothing that downplays certain parts of your appearance. For instance, if you have a scar or birthmark on your arm, you might consider wearing long sleeves that can cover it. While employers do not refuse to consider applicants with scars, a scar can distract you and your interviewer from the real issue at hand: your ability to perform the job in question.

There seems to be a belief that an applicant should show up to an interview with nothing more than themselves. This practice, however, can make an applicant seem unprepared and make it much harder to land a job.

There are a few items that you should bring along on a job interview. You should bring at least one spare copy of your resume, even if you provided it earlier as a part of your application. If you know that you will be interviewed by multiple people, you should bring a copy of your resume for each. You should also bring spare copies of your list of references.

If you are applying for a job that has specific certification or licensing requirements, you should bring proof of your eligibility. A wide variety of jobs require some form of licensing, from hair stylist to accountant, and employers are more likely to choose a candidate whose paperwork is already in order.

You may also want to bring along a portfolio. A portfolio could be as simple as examples of your work on past projects. No matter the depth of your portfolio, however, consider two factors before you bring in your examples. First, limit the number of pieces in your portfolio to your best. During an interview, you will have only a few minutes that you can devote to showing off your work. While you may make arrangements to leave your portfolio behind after the interview, you will want to be sure that your interviewer has already seen your best pieces. Second, consider how you will display your portfolio. If it is on a CD or DVD, you may need to make arrangements to have some sort of player available.

There are a few items that you might also want to consider bringing along for emergencies. You might want to stick breath mints in your bag, for instance, or bring a couple of safety pins, just in case. These sorts of emergency preparations can vary between individuals, but just knowing that you can deal with anything that comes up can help reassure you before your interview.