8 Tips for a Successful Job Interview
By: Alice Greschkow
Tags: Work, Job Hunting, Success, Jobs, Remote Work

Present yourself properly

Dress for the job you want — but ALWAYS consider the basics

As humans, we are visual beings. When you enter a room, people will notice certain details about you before you’ve even said a word.

Did you make an effort for the interviewers or do you look like you’ve just gone out to pick up groceries at the supermarket?

Obviously, different companies and jobs require a different image of their employees.

If you are going to work with people as a salesperson, a consultant, or a promoter, you’ll be the face of the company to potential clients and partners. Present yourself in a way that suits the job description.

A lawyer dresses differently than a social media manager. A traditional company will require a more classic and elegant clothing style than a young startup filled with millennials.

Tip 1: Check for videos and pictures of the staff. Do they have a YouTube channel? Are there pictures of the team on LinkedIn? This will provide a good impression of what is going on in the company and try to match that. Don’t be scared to dress up for a job — view it as work attire that allows you to separate your private life from work-life.

Regardless of the clothing, there are some things which always make an impression.

Shoes, nails, and hair must look well. That doesn’t mean you must shave off your beard — it’s enough to shape it so it looks well-groomed.

Note: Some jobs require a more uniform look. They expect their people to look like a blank page without a lot of individuality. In banking, long hair for men might be an issue as it might signal certain qualities to conservative clients.

Ask yourself how much of your individual style you are willing to sacrifice. In conservative sectors, employers don’t look for too much personality, they look for people who will represent the company properly.

Present yourself professionally in remote video interviews

Even before the Covid pandemic, remote interviews have become popular as they are time and cost-saving. This bears new challenges for the applicants as they must not only make sure that they look good but that the environment looks inviting.

A challenge when doing a remote interview is that you must make sure that you look the way you do in real life. Angles and light are crucial for that impression.

Tip 2: Get the angles right. Place books or shoe boxes under your laptop so that the camera is on eye-level. By doing so, the camera won’t distort your facial proportions. If you don’t own a laptop, try to place your smartphone somewhere so you don’t have to hold it. Otherwise, your video will be shaky, and this distracts the interviewers.

Tip 3: Identify your light sources. Make sure the light doesn’t fall on your face from the side or the back. Otherwise, shadows might make you appear tired and edgier. If you have natural light illuminating your room, try to sit in front of the window. If you need artificial light, place an additional light source on your table beyond the ceiling light. I usually take my bedside lamp and place it right next to the laptop when I do remote events.

What does the background say about you?

In video interviews, you literally invite people to your private space. They receive a glimpse of who you are by seeing items in the background like posters, family photos, or furniture. Ask yourself what your background might reveal about you and what you would rather keep private. If you can sit in front of a plain wall, there won’t be anything distracting. However, that’s not a must. I’ve conducted conversations where my vintage lamp and a painting could be seen in the background and I was complimented for it.

However, you should make sure that there nothing looks dusty or broken in the background.

Tip 4: Take pictures of yourself in various positions which you consider for an interview in advance. Take a careful look — is there anything distracting? Is there anything you would like to hide? Remove items in the background for the interview, if necessary.