Business

The Interview

Interview Outfit

Tops

  • Neutrals
  • NO cleavage
  • Hide inappropriate tattoos

Bottoms

  • NO JEANS! Even if jeans are acceptable in the company’s dress code, that does not make it acceptable for an interview.
  • No leggings as pants
  • Slacks or other neutral colored pants
  • Skirts: nothing above the knees

Outwear

  • Blazer
  • If it’s cold outside make sure your coat or jacket is professional

Jewelry

  • Earrings: stud’s or nothing bigger than a nickel
  • Necklace: simple
  • Bracelets: nothing excessive
  • Watch: make sure it is on silent during your interview

Footwear

  • Flats
  • Heels: nothing taller than 3 inches

During the interview

  • Make sure that if you brought ANYTHING: resume, notebook, or portfolio that you have it out and ready when the interview starts. You don’t want to shuffle through papers or your bag during your interview.
  • Elaborate & be specific. Never give one word answers, don’t even give one sentence answers. Always ensure that you elaborate & that you are specific with all of the details in your answers.
  • Listen. Make sure you are listening to the interviewer & not just thinking of what you are going to say.
  • Be yourself. This is probably the best advice for any interview. Interviewers understand that applicants are nervous & anticipate it. The purpose of an interview is to determine if you are a good fit for the position and company. A company can always train skills and knowledge so they are trying to gauge your personality to see if you will fit in their corporate culture. So make sure that you are being yourself and demonstrating your passion for the position, company, and/or the reason you applied.
  • BE HONEST. Don’t exaggerate or lie. Always be honest, in the interview and on your resume. A simple background check or even a simple interview question can determine if you are being truthful. With that being said, make sure that you can talk to your resume and provide specific examples for any claim that you make. The best way to prevent being caught in a lie during the interview, is just to not do it.
  • Be confident & humble. Discuss your qualifications, relevant experience, education, and what you can offer the company BUT BE HUMBLE about it. Show your confidence but don’t be arrogant or cocky. Also don’t ever assume you have the job even during the last interview. You don’t want to convey to the interviewers that you are conceited or vain.
  • Ask questions. If you need something to be clarified, ask. If you want to know more about something you found in your research or want to know more of the job, ask. The interviewer is ensuring you are a good fit for the company you are applying for, but you also need to make sure that they are a good fit for you as well.
  • Make sure that you have contact information and know the next steps before leaving the interview.

Questions

Asking questions is important during the interview, it shows your interest. One of the biggest interview rules is to always have a question prepared for the end of the interview & you can google search hundreds of generic questions, but make sure that you have several relevant questions ready for the interview itself AND the end of the interview. By relevant I mean, don’t ask “What are my daily job responsibilities?” (the #1 question on those google searches) at the end of the interview if the interviewer already discussed it (I have seen this happen multiple times). While you did have a question at the end of the interview, it no longer matters because now it appears that you weren’t listening during the interview. That question is best for during the interview if it did not come up already. Here are some questions for during & after the interview:

During the interview questions

  • How would you describe a typical day in this position?
  • What are the primary responsibilities of the position?
  • What would I need to do in this role to advance within the position/company?
  • What improvements or changes do you hope the new candidate will bring to this position?
  • Based on my research, _question pertaining to research _?

End of interview questions

  • Is there anything I can answer/clarify for you?
  • What are the next steps in the interview process?
  • Is there anything else that I can provide or send?

Follow Up

Following up is the best way to differentiate yourself from other candidates. I always make sure that I have an email to contact the interviewer and I ALWAYS follow up with a “Thank You” email before end of business day. I always attach the PDF Version of my resume (ALWAYS use the PDF version of your Resume to make it easier on the interviewer), the PDF Version of my Portfolio (that I brought & showed them in the interview), & I include a Job Analysis with the research I conducted (for more information on a Job Analysis Click Here).

“Thank You” email:

  • Thank them for their time.
  • Highlight aspects of the interview and the job.
  • Provide any additional documents or contact information.
  • Use formal business language.
  • Proofread.

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