A vital part of the interview process occurs before you even step foot in the office of the person with whom you are interviewing. Once you confirm the time and date of the interview, it is important to do your homework and put in the necessary work into preparing for the meeting. Make sure you know the exact location of where you are to go. It is smart to do a dry run of actually going to the location before the interview in case there is traffic or detours. If that is not an option, then make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to make it there in case of unforeseen delays. You should be early for your interview appointment, but definitely try to avoid being late. Make sure to call if there’s an emergency keeping you from being on time or making it at all and promptly ask if you can reschedule.
Dress appropriately for the job for which you are interviewing. If you are meeting for a carpentry position, it is probably not necessary to be in a suit and tie because that will not be the attire on the job site. But, if you are going to an office or any other setting that expects business casual apparel, make sure you oblige or dress a step above. When you arrive for your interview, if there is a secretary, make a good impression on him or her. They are conducting a pre-screening and will report directly back to the person you are interviewing with, so make sure to be polite, inquisitive, patient and respectful. If there’s a chance for small talk, make it. If the secretary is busy, then respect his or her time and wait patiently to be called. Secretaries are the ambassadors of an office; show them you’ll fit right in.
Research the company and job requirements you are interviewing for and know your facts/history. Go to their website and read up on recent news, past reports, current ownership or changes and use this information to show the person/people you are interviewing with that you did your homework.
Go above and beyond what is expected of you for an interview. If you are applying for a teaching spot, bring a sample of a lesson plan. If you are vying for an advertising job, show them a campaign you recently worked on. There are endless ways to make an impact on an interview so be creative, be confident and courteous and be unique—prove to them how and why you will be an asset to the workplace.
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