How To Prepare For A Job Interview

To prepare for a job interview is your opportunity to make a great first impression! You may have the qualifications and skills they are after, but how you do in an interview can determine if you get a job offer or not.

A great interview can also result in you being selected over other applicants. Coming in with a positive attitude, confidence, and making eye contact will set you apart from the rest!

How you look when you show up for a job interview speaks volumes about you and your sincerity. Depending on the job, you may be fine to show up in blue jeans and a nice shirt.

How To Dress For A Job Interview

Business or career casual clothes are usually a safe choice, that is acceptable by most employers. Prepare for a job interview with these suggestions:

• Career Wear: For men it is suggested to wear a suit (or dress shirt) with a tie and women it is suggested to wear a business dress or career suit which includes a blazer, skirt or dress pants..
• Shoes: Men and women, please don't overlook your shoes; they should be clean and practical for the job. They should match well with the clothing you selected. Flats or heels dress shoes are ok as long as the heels are comfortable.
• Hair: You can wear their hair up or down, but it should look professional. Meaning, let's not look like you rolled out of the bed. If you haven't had a haircut recently, make sure you get it trimmed before the job interview. 

• Jewelry: Keep jewelry to a minimum. The job interview isn't a place to display your facial jewelry!
• Tattoos: Not all employers accept tattoos, so you may want to cover them up for an interview.  I enjoy tattoos, but you just never know. You still have to be you.  During the interview, you can ask the employer about showing your tattoos. Remember the goal is to get a job and still be you.

Examples of how to dress for a job interview

For both women and men, a blazer, like the ones in the pictures provides a professional look to your appearance. 

Shoes, a dress shirt, business pants, (or business dress), and a tie completes your overall career attire.  

If you are unsure exactly what to select, try a personal shopper.

Be Aware

Don't be surprised if there is more than one person at the job interview. Make eye contact with each of them and shake their hands. If there is more than one open chair to pick from, select a centralized location. The goal is to be able to interact with each of them at various times. When you are asked a question by one of them, reply directly back to that individual.

Here are a few tips for a productive interview:

• Sit up straight during a job interview
• Fold your hands and place them on your lap
• Cross your legs and put your feet flat on the floor
• Avoid any nervous habits such as playing with your hands or tapping your feet
• Listen to the complete question before you answer
• Don't be in such a hurry to reply that you cut them off

Learn about the Business

Do your homework and learn about the business. Look beyond what they do and what they offer. A few areas to learn are:

• When were they established?
• How have they grown?
• What are their current goals?
• Who are the main clients or what services does the business provide?

When you can interject some of that information into the conversation, it shows you know about the business and want to be a part of what it offers.

Since one of the key questions in most interviews is what do you know about us, this is a great way of how to prepared you are  for the interview!

Don't memorize numbers or focus on financials, focus on why you want to be a part of their organization. For example, you may love the way they help the environment, how they give back to the community, or the quality of their products. If you use their products, let them know it! 

Practice Talking in Front of the Mirror or Video Recorder

When going into a job interview, you may feel self-conscious and nervous. The goal is to be ready for it so you can talk to them and appear confident. Part of how to prepare for an interview is to practice. 

Practice talking in front of the mirror or record yourself to review.  Don't be overly critical but do focus on what you see. If you aren't making eye contact, you need to strive to do so at the job interviews. If you rush to answer job interview questions, practice taking a breath in and out and then talking at a normal pace. The more you practice, the more natural you will appear during a job interview. You CAN do this!  

Work with a professional to practice an interview.  It is always to your advantage to prepare for a job interview, with a friend that will provide helpful feedback from a mock interview. With their guidance, you can avoid common mistakes.