8 Tips to Help You Shine on a Job Interview ...

Clothes you wear had nothing to do with your professional skills, I will give you that! I do, however, feel the need to point out that failing to dress the part could sabotage your efforts and help them rule you out. So, when dressing for a job interview, never but never wear the first thing you pick up, clothes that are too sexy, too boring or too trendy. Choose elegant chic court shoes instead of those ultra fancy, sky high platform pumps, wear neutral makeup, and clothes that are stylish but appropriate as well – elegant wide leg pants, for example, would be a perfect choice while boyfriend jeans (or any type of jeans, for that matter) won’t leave a good impression.

You’ve read the job-listing carefully, managed to put together an interesting resume and ended up on the short list of candidates that really have a shot at landing that job! Congrats! However, your job doesn’t end here! So, if you really want to impress them and show that you’re not only a pro but somebody who really wants that job, you must acquire some useful info about the company. Check the company’s website, go through the news section and remember some impressive details you can work into the conversation during your interview. The interviewer (s) will probably ask you questions like “Why do you want to work here” or “Why do you think this is the right company for you” making it easy for you to “spill” all those precious information and show that you’ve really THAT interested. But, speaking about the tips for a job interview, here’s another one – use your own words! It’s not a history test and they certainly won’t show any appreciation for candidates who can’t think on their own which means that simply reciting their entire news section won’t cut it!

Ask your mom, sister, boyfriend or a BFF to play the interviewer and stage a mini job-interview. This will help you loosen up a bit and prepare for the real interview and, with the stress over the questions they are going to ask out of the way, you’ll do much better, too! A person that knows you well could even ask you a few tricky questions or do a so-called stress-interview, asking you all the worst, potentially embarrassing questions (why have you been fired from your last job, would you ever lie for your boss if that could help you move up etc.). The chances of interviewers really asking you these stuff are slim to none but, if you manage to keep your cool and answer the weird questions right, you’ll have no problem handling the real interview and all those standard questions!

You shouldn’t sound like a prom queen or practice any stand-up comedy, that’s for sure, but a smile could really help you do much better and leave a good impression on people in charge of candidate selection. Be nice and polite, introduce yourself with a smile, find a position in which you’ll feel comfortable and relax. They won’t bite your head off, try to claim your firstborn child or ask you to hand over your AMEX so there is really no reason to sweat so much! Right? Every boss wants a confident, charismatic employee, an employee that knows how to keep the situation under control, an employee who won’t freeze or burst like an overblown balloon and is in the same time nice, relaxed and polite enough to be loved by its coworkers. You can be that employee, can’t you? Think about it and you’ll see this is one of the best tips for a job interview you could even get!

LOL! Hey, you’ve made it to the interview, girl, which means your resume was impressive enough to convince them to have a chat with you! Now, supposing that you didn’t lie (which I’ve already listed as a huge no), that means you are a very good candidate and someone who could be a valuable asset to the company! Yes, the next on my list of tips for a job interview is to both think and speak highly of yourself! Don’t be shy or modest but point out every important achievement that might help you get the job! Sugarcoat it, if needed!

Controlling your body while trying to come up with the best answers to the questions you’ve been asked is a bit tricky but you can do it. You don’t really have to practice, don’t worry! Just read the following dos and don’ts and try to import behavior that sends the “I’m confident and relaxed” message as opposed to the “I’m nervous and I’d rather be anywhere else but here” one.

Dos:
- Sitting comfortably
- Crossing your legs
- Moving your arms normally
- Normal facial expressions and smiling

Don’ts
- Slouching or sitting like you’re at home
- Crossing your arms
- Clenching the armrests or throwing the arms around too much
- Frowning, biting your lip

Want some more useful tips for a job interview? Well, here’s one people don’t mention as nearly as much as they should have! You see, most candidates try to refrain from asking questions thinking they will make them look to nosey or whatnot when, in fact, asking questions show if and how much you really give a darn whether you’ll get that job or no. Avoid stuff like “Will I get weekends off”, “How many sick days will I be allowed to take”, “Do you give Christmas bonuses” and focus on all those work related questions you’d love to see answered such as working hours/ the number of people you’ll work closely with/ additional tasks etc.

The last of my tips for a job interview would be to always make sure that thin line between personal and professional is not crossed. You should and you must show your personality and reveal a couple of details about yourself but you must never let that turn into a rant, sad personal story or, God forbid, something you’d discuss with your friend over a cup of coffee. That’s not professional girl, ugh-huh, and failing to draw a line between information you should share and information that are too personal will make the interviewers feel uncomfortable and seriously diminish your chances of getting a job.

There you have it, ladies and gents! I’ve given you all my best tips for a job interview and the only thing left for you do to now is walk into that room, blow them out of their shoes, get that job and start celebrating. Congrats in advance and don’t forget to let me know which of these tips for a job interview have helped you the most!

Top Photo Credit: bpsusf