While looking for a job has been nerve-wracking, preparing for your upcoming interview can be even more stressful. Since you will want to make a great first impression, you’ll be pulling out all the stops to impress your potential employer. However, if you make some major mistakes, chances are you’ll still need to continue your job search. To ensure you get the job, here are some things to do and not do during your job interview.
Do Smile as Much as Possible
While you should always smile during your initial greeting with the interviewer, try doing it as much as is appropriate during your interview. By doing this one simple thing, you portray yourself to be a positive person who wants to be part of the team. In fact, research has shown hiring managers tend to hire job candidates who present themselves as positive and engaging.
Don’t Wear Too Much Makeup and Jewelry
While it’s okay to have on makeup and jewelry during your job interview, too much of a good thing may have you standing out for all the wrong reasons. Rather than walking into your interview with an over-the-top look, try instead to look and act professional and as if you belong with the company.
Do Use Notes
To help you stay calm during the interview, it’s okay to bring along some notes you have jotted down about the company and answers you would want to give to commonly asked questions. Rather than finding your mind is going blank when asked an important question, you can look at your notes to jog your memory. While you may think this will have you looking too nervous, most employers will appreciate you taking the time to do your homework prior to the interview.
Don’t Ask About Salaries and Promotions
Believe it or not, some people start asking about being promoted before they are even hired for their initial job. If you do this, you’ll stand out in your job interview and virtually guarantee yourself being shown the door very quickly. Though salaries and advancement opportunities are important, it’s best if you let the interviewer bring up these topics naturally along the way.
Do Have a Firm Handshake
While you don’t want to crush your interviewer’s hand upon meeting them, you do want to give them a solid, firm handshake. When you do, this immediately tells the interviewer you are feeling confident and are eager to get the interview started. If you think the handshake is not important, consider that studies have shown most hiring managers make up their minds about interviewees within the first 90 seconds of an interview on most occasions.
Don’t Be Rude
Whether you are interviewing for an entry-level job at a company or instead are interviewing to become a franchisee and have your own business, never make the mistake of being rude to a secretary or other individuals. If you do, your behavior will be the talk of the office, and will certainly make its way back to your interviewer. After all, if you’re rude in this situation, others will assume you will act the same way if hired.
Now that you know what to do and not do in your interview, you can practice doing the good things and visualize yourself getting hired for the job you’ve always wanted.
