Research
Always go to an interview prepared. First step, research the website. Every company website has an ‘about’ page where you can find the basic information you need to know. Look into the companies’ culture and its core values. Next step, have a look at the companies’ social media pages such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Here you will find recent updates about the company that you might not find on their website. All the information you gather will make you feel more confident for the interview and you can use this information to ask questions about during the interview.
When you have done your research, the hiring manager can see you put in effort to prepare well for the interview, which is always a plus.
Be on time
Being late is a no-go and can be a big deal breaker in deciding if you will get the job or not.
Check directions how to get to the company the night before your interview and plan to be there half an hour early. During this half hour, you can revise your notes once again or have a little walk around the area. As you might spend the next few years here it’s good to check out the area and if it’s a place where you would like to work.
Tip: write down or print directions in case technology fails on you. Nothing worse than not having any signal or google maps failing on you.
Dress appropriately
Dressing appropriately for an interview sounds a bit like a no-brainer, but trust us, people show up in jeans and trainers or even in tracksuits (yes, it happens). Always dress smart for an interview, even if the company has a dress down policy. Show up in a suit or for women for example a dress.
Don’t have any smart clothes and don’t want to spend a lot of money on it? Your suit doesn’t have to be from a top brand to do the job.
Body language
Body language and tone of voice are more important then what you are actually saying. First of all, smile! Everyone likes to see people smile and it will give the hiring manager a good feeling as well. Give a firm handshake when introducing yourself, no slouching on the chair and always show interest. Sitting straight with a smile on your face will give a good first impression. And we all know how important first impressions are.
Ask questions
Even if you have no questions or already know the answer, always ask questions. This is your chance to get extra information on the company.
Try to prepare 3 to 5 questions, as a few of the questions you had might already been answered during the interview. Find some examples of questions you can ask here.