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Most interviewers form their opinion of you in the first few minutes of a meeting. Here's how to make a good impression.
Steps:
1. In the days before your interview, talk to people who have worked at the company. If it's practical, hang around outside the building while employees are arriving and note how they dress and behave.
2. Learn the name and title of the person you'll be meeting with. Arrive at least 10 minutes early to collect your thoughts.
3. Take time to greet and acknowledge the secretary or administrative assistant; it's old-fashioned courtesy, and besides, this person may have a lot of influence.
4. Bring along an extra r�sum� and letters of recommendation in case the interviewer doesn't have them handy.
5. Be open and upbeat. Face your interviewer with arms and legs uncrossed, head up, and hands and face at ease. Smile and look the interviewer in the eye.
6. Know the company's business, target clients, market and direction cold.
7. Walk in prepared with a few relevant questions and listen carefully.
8. Subtly give the impression that you're already part of the team by using "we" when asking how something is done. For example, say, "How do we deal with the press?"
9. Conclude with a positive statement and a quick, firm handshake. Ask when you might follow up, and get a business card from the interviewer.
10. Send a thank-you note.
Tips:
Avoid asking about money at the start of the interview.
Show your value; use specific examples.
Employers want to know what you can bring to the table and how you make a positive contribution to the company and their bottom line. They want a return on their investment. Use specific examples of how you have been successful in generating real value.
Don't look desperate.
Never allow a potential employer to think that you are desperate. Show that you are interested in the job, but also don't come across as this is your only option. If the interviewer thinks you have other options, they will consider your qualifications that much more to prevent the competition from hiring you.
Steps:
1. In the days before your interview, talk to people who have worked at the company. If it's practical, hang around outside the building while employees are arriving and note how they dress and behave.
2. Learn the name and title of the person you'll be meeting with. Arrive at least 10 minutes early to collect your thoughts.
3. Take time to greet and acknowledge the secretary or administrative assistant; it's old-fashioned courtesy, and besides, this person may have a lot of influence.
4. Bring along an extra r�sum� and letters of recommendation in case the interviewer doesn't have them handy.
5. Be open and upbeat. Face your interviewer with arms and legs uncrossed, head up, and hands and face at ease. Smile and look the interviewer in the eye.
6. Know the company's business, target clients, market and direction cold.
7. Walk in prepared with a few relevant questions and listen carefully.
8. Subtly give the impression that you're already part of the team by using "we" when asking how something is done. For example, say, "How do we deal with the press?"
9. Conclude with a positive statement and a quick, firm handshake. Ask when you might follow up, and get a business card from the interviewer.
10. Send a thank-you note.
Tips:
Avoid asking about money at the start of the interview.
Show your value; use specific examples.
Employers want to know what you can bring to the table and how you make a positive contribution to the company and their bottom line. They want a return on their investment. Use specific examples of how you have been successful in generating real value.
Don't look desperate.
Never allow a potential employer to think that you are desperate. Show that you are interested in the job, but also don't come across as this is your only option. If the interviewer thinks you have other options, they will consider your qualifications that much more to prevent the competition from hiring you.
Guide created: 01/23/06 (updated 06/18/06)
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