Great tips for a job interview.

Are you due for a job interview and you are all worried and jittery? Are you asking yourself what you should or should not do or say? Well, you will get some great insights if you read further.

A job interview is the only chance you got to impress your potential employer. It is the most important introduction of yourself to your would-be employer. During an interview, you get a chance to prove that you are indeed qualified and deserving of the opportunity through a demonstration of your skills, personality, attitude, and enthusiasm.

It is also a chance for you to learn more about your potential employer, assess the values and priorities of the organization, get an insight into their working culture, and gauge if all that will fit your preference and values.

So, having all these in mind, what then should you do and not do before, during, and after an interview?

1. Time

Prepare well for the interview and do arrive in time at the venue for the interview. Advisably, come 10-15 minutes earlier. Coming early will give you enough time to observe the working environment which gives you more information about the institution. It will also allow you to relax and compose yourself before you are ushered into the interview room.

Don’t come late. Coming in late is a first bad impression and an indication that you would be an employee who lacks no sense of direction and is not time conscious. If you are running late, it is prudent to call and inform the organization that you will be running late while giving a time frame within which you will arrive.

 

2.Dressing and Grooming

Do dress up in formal and decent wear to be safe and especially if you are not sure of the company’s policies and culture. It is also advisable that you wear dark colors. Keep jewelry to the minimum while dressing up for an interview.

Don’t wear strong perfumes, heavy makeups, or jewelry that jiggles when you move. Don’t wear hairstyles that cover your face and or brightly colored hairs. For ladies, don’t wear extra-long eyelashes or nails.

 

3.Basic Etiquette in the Interview Room

a)Posture

Do sit upright.

Don’t fold hands or cross your legs. Don’t fidget and or play with pens, fingers, clothing, or hair.

 

b) Mannerisms

Do keep your phone in silent mode and out of sight of the interviewer.

Don’t use your phone unless you are using it to demonstrate an element that the interviewer wants to know.

Don't chew gum while in the interview room.

c)Answering Questions

Questions on former Employer

Do answer questions honestly on your former employers but avoid dwelling on the negatives. Always find something positive to say about your former employer.

Don’t trash-talk your former employers in the interview, even if the company is a competitor.

 

Questions to the Interviewer

Do ask questions that will help you understand the company and your job better. For instance, you can ask their expectations of you in case you get the job.

Don’t rush to asking questions about vacations and benefits unless it’s time to negotiate the job offer.

Questions on the Employer

 Research the employer before you go to the interview. Always master the skill sets that you have that resonate with what the employer is looking for. If after your research something remains unclear, ask for clarification during the interview.

After the interview

Thank the interviewer or the panel for having you and courteously leave the room.

Follow instructions post-interview and do not bug the would-be employer with phone calls over the status of your interview results if it was not revealed on a material day.