Interview Do's and Don'ts
- Be prepared -
- Know the exact location of where the interview is being held
- Who is interviewing (number of interviewers & their positions)
- Time & date of interview
- Important documents to bring
- Do some research on the company, for e.g: know who their competitors are, recent developments, main products/services, etc.
- Know your market worth
- Be prompt - at least 10-15 minutes early is a good guide. If for whatever reason you are late, call ahead to explain. You might be embarrassed being in this situation, but a prospective employer will appreciate your honesty, rather than not showing up at all.
- Remember: first impressions last!!!
- Smile, shake hands firmly & make eye contact
- Consider what impression you are giving (put yourself in the interviewer's shoes)
- Don't bring excessive baggage
- Always look professional- generally corporate & conservative
- Be respectful, not intimidating
- Be aware of your body language - sit up straight, lean forward slightly and make eye-contact with the interviewer/members of a panel to show your interest
- Turn off mobile phones!! A ringing phone during an interview is a major no-no
- Listen carefully to questions - answer questions honestly & directly and don't be evasive
- Don't make derogatory remarks of previous employers -this will be viewed as extremely unprofessional
- If you are nervous don't be afraid to admit so. It may have been a long time since you have last been interviewed and this is quite a normal reaction
- Don't be concerned about long pauses in conversation or answering questions. It shows that you are giving a question some thought
- Be positive - you are at an interview because you were selected from a large pool of candidates.
- Recap key strengths
- It is not unreasonable to request a short period of time to consider an offer before accepting
- If an offer isn't made don't be discouraged
- Thank the interviewer for their time
- After the interview call the referring consultant for your thoughts on how the interview went
