- Dress the part. A suit is always safe but use your instincts and what you know about the company to determine what to wear.
- Bring a few copies of your resume plus any work samples that are relevant. Be prepared to talk about specific experiences.
- Have your 30-second elevator pitch ready. Be able to answer the open-ended “So tell me about yourself…” question.
- Don’t be late – it frustrates everyone, including you. Give yourself plenty of time to get there at least 10 minutes early so you are cool, calm and collected.
- Don’t rely on directions from the Internet! It has been wrong on more than one occasion so don’t risk getting lost going to an interview. If there are no directions listed on the company website, do not hesitate to call and ask the receptionist. You can even call the receptionist to verify the driving directions you got on the web.
- If you happen to fall sick, let the interviewer decide whether you should come in or reschedule. Call at least a day in advance, explain that you are sick but more than willing to come in for your interview. Some companies are adamant about not exposing their employees to sickness so offer to start the interview over the telephone and reschedule the in-person interview ASAP. However, if they tell you to come in and you really want the job, then show up and show how serious you really are!
- Be nice to everyone you meet, especially the receptionist. Every opinion matters and it is safe to assume that the receptionist talks to everybody in the office.
- Remember to smile, make eye contact and give a firm, confident handshake. Seriously! Your handshake is an important part of your first impression and they’ll certainly notice if you offer up a limp, timid or painful one.
- Make sure to ask your interviewer what he/she loves about working for the company. You want to see a level of inspiration and passion from the people who work there because if they aren’t that interested, will you be?
- Research the company and come prepared with good questions and specific ideas about how you can be an asset to them. Point out campaigns or projects the company has done that are interesting to you. If the interviewer asks if you know what the company does, respond by saying, “I’ve done a lot of research and I think I have a good sense but I’d love to hear how you describe it!”
