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First impressions are usually formed within 30 seconds. The first thing an employer will notice is your physical appearance. Pick a wardrobe that communicates effort and professionalism. Research the company's dress code going into the interview. If you know anyone from the company, ask them what's appropriate. You can also call the company's Human Resource Department and ask what is recommended in terms of attire. If you're interviewing for a professional, managerial, or executive position you should always wear a suit. Have a few interview suits, preferably tailored to your body, on hand to choose from. If the attire is business casual, or if you're applying for a lower ranking position, a nice blouse with dress pants or a skirt is a good choice for women. Men can wear dress pants and a button down shirt and tie. If this is for a factory, construction, or other such job where you will get dirty, wear sensible attire to the interview, this includes steel-toed safety shoes and if it's a construction site, you'll need to wear a hard hat (not a bump hat) to get from the gate to the office. Do not forget footwear. Oftentimes, an outfit is great but shoes are tattered or worn. Invest in comfortable, work-appropriate shoes. Do not fret if you have to pay a little more. Remember, you will use these shoes often when you land a job. Avoid perfumes and other fragrances, which can appear tacky and put off interviewers. While accessories, like a nice belt or tasteful jewelry, can be a nice touch avoid anything overly flashy or distracting. If you wear make-up, stick to neutral shades of lipstick, eye-liner, and eye shadow. Your make-up should ideally enhance your existing facial features without overwhelming them. Never go into an interview without prior knowledge of the company. This conveys a lack of interest and respect on your part. Conduct thorough research in the days leading up to an interview. Know what skills the company values. Look at the career page on their website and pay close attention to the desired qualifications listed on their job postings. This gives you the opportunity to learn more about a given company and discover what aspects of your skill set and career history to emphasize. Read up on the latest news involving the company. Oftentimes, company websites have a section dedicated to press releases and news coverage. You can also search for the company's name in Google News. Research the company's mission and values. You'll want to make sure you come off as a good fit for the company's culture. There should be a section on the company's website with a mission statement. You can also follow the company on social media to get a sense of their ethos. Find out who your interviewer will be. Oftentimes, this is disclosed in the email asking you to come in for an interview. If not, you can politely request their name. Research the interviewer on LinkedIn and Twitter. This increases your chance of connecting and, in turn, landing the job. Concrete is better than abstract when it comes to wowing an interviewer. You should have a few solid anecdotes prepared that speak to your experience. People tend to remember stories easier than direct information. Therefore, telling a story rather than simply conveying your experience means you'll stand out in an interviewer's mind. Ask yourself, what are the skill sets this company is looking for? Write down a list of skills and, from there, try to come up with stories from past jobs, volunteer experiences, and internships that illustrate your proficiency with said skills. Have 2 to 3 anecdotes to choose from going in. Rehearse. Recite the stories to yourself to make sure you include all necessary information and don't slip up or stutter during the interview. You can always record yourself speaking and play back the recording to see where you need to improve. It's not uncommon for employers to scan the Twitter and Facebook accounts of potential employees. Make sure your social media presence is clean before going into an interview. Curse words do not reflect well on you as a potential employee. Make sure any obscenity is removed. A negative attitude can be a deterrent to employment and people often take to Twitter and Facebook to complain. Delete tweets or statues that air grievances about friends, family members, or businesses. If you want to err on the side of caution, you can temporarily deactivate your Facebook or Twitter profile the week before your interview. You can also change privacy settings so only certain posts are visible to the public.
Choose professional attire. Get educated. Prepare stories that illustrate your skill-set. Alter your social media sites.