You should be ready to crush your job interview after you’ve made the time to prepare (tips on how to do that here). Before your interview though, I want to share a few things to keep in mind on how you can go in confidently into your interview and impress your potential employer. You ready?
Dress to Impress
This should go without saying, but you need to dress to impress. My motto is that it’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed. After you’ve done your research on the company, you should have a pretty good idea of what is appropriate to wear. You’ll want to look professional, but also make sure you are comfortable as well to help boost your confidence. If you’re still unsure, I recommend reaching out to close family and friends to get their opinion. I’m personally known for sending mirror pics to my friends to get their opinions when I’m unsure of an outfit choice!
Get Smart in Your Responses
As you begin responding to questions in the interview, do your best to pepper in key words from the job description. It’s important to apply what the company is looking for in a job candidate with your own strengths and accomplishments. This is a good opportunity to do when they say, “so tell me about yourself.” This strategy allows you to subtly add in those keywords into the conversation without being too explicit.
Show Your Personality & Be Yourself
As you are giving an overview of who you are in the interview, make sure to incorporate aspects of yourself that make you, you. Yes, it’s critical to focus on your professional achievements. But everyone in the day and age is craving authenticity and recruiters and teams want to get a sense of who you are outside of the workplace too. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine and mention your interests and what you like to do in your free time. Bonus – the more you are yourself, the more you release pressure off of yourself. Have fun with it!
Express Interest with Questions
Ask questions during the interview. If you’ve done the prep work, you have questions in mind that you want to ask in the interview. This is a good time to show your curiosity and interest in the company. Remember that the interview is not a one-way street; it’s a two-way street. You want to make sure you’re asking questions to see if the company and role is a good fit for you too.
Ask the Decision Timeline
Before you head out, it’s critical to ask about the decision timeline. Ask the interviewer when they plan to make a decision and when you can expect to hear from them. Having this information on hand won’t leave you then in a constant state of wonder and nervousness. It will also help you to know when to strategically reach out if you haven’t had heard from them in the given timeframe that they give you.
Collect Contact Information
At the end of the interview, make sure to ask for business cards or contact information from each of the people you interviewed with. This will set you up for success post-interview to write your thank you’s.
With a positive and “whatever happens, happens” attitude, along with these six simple steps, you will surely be set up for success. Best of luck!
Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, career coach, speaker and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. She also works full-time in technology as a Role Strategy and Employee Engagement Manager at Salesforce and has over 12 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, Chicago Tribune, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, and SheFactor. She’s fueled by black coffee, sunshine, a good ink pen, and a bold lip.
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