Research the company

Get to know the company and what it does, especially if there are any clashes of ideology between your beliefs and the company. For example, you might be working in a meat processing company, and if you are a vegetarian looking for a position in the IT department, when being interviewed that may come up. You need to understand where the company is in the marketplace.

An interview with a major car manufacturer may be questionable if there are rumours that the company is in serious financial trouble. Take time to find out the name of your interviewer and if there are to be any tests while you are there, such as technical evaluation or IT skills. What they need to know is that you are willing to learn their way of doing things - it is not good to show you are sure that you can change their world for what you perceive is the 'better'.

Presentation is all important

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so make sure you dress appropriately. A well tailored suit is required for the occasion, not the gear you would wear on the dance floor or for a night out with the girls.

Ladies, the makeup needs to be what looks good in daylight not what you wear on a hen night. Check your makeup in daylight as you leave the house and use this time to check that your face looks pretty and natural, not garish or tarty.

Be relaxed and assured.

If you are travelling any distance don't take your chances with the traffic. Allow yourself ample time to make sure you arrive a few minutes early and use the rest room. There is nothing more embarrassing than having to stop an interview and use the rest room!

Turn your phone off before you start, and make sure you have told anyone who needs to know that you have arrived before you start the interview.

Watch your interviewer and make sure he or she knows that they are in charge. You may find that in a large company you are interviewed by more than one person, sometimes both at the same time. You need to complete one answer before starting to answer the next question.

Accept any refreshments graciously, but try and avoid anything too large for your mouth or too messy.

Answer questions honestly while looking at the person that is asking the question. Do not forget to include other interviewers and never cut them off short. Try to look people in the eye when you talk to them, you will appear more confident and you won't seem shifty!

There are two perceptions that are happening - yours and theirs. What does your interviewer perceive about you? Do they see someone shifty and evasive or are they seeing someone open and confident. The problem often is that you do not know the team that you are being interviewed for, and so you cannot know what sort of personality they are looking for to fit into that team. They may look to complement or balance the people they already have. What do you perceive about the company? That visit to the rest room at the start of the interview is not only useful but it may help you decide if you want to work for that company. A company that looks after its employees has good rest rooms, and a not so good one has bad rest rooms. Always remember that perception works in both directions.

Preparation, Presentation, and Perception are the keys to your interview success.

Article by Rachel Goodchild

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