As a staffing agency we conduct a high volume of interviews every day. We like to see people succeed which is why we want to share these interview tips to help prepare you for your next one!
Tip #1: Be On Time
The very first part of our screening process is if the candidate shows up on time for their interview. This can be tricky because many people think the earlier the better, which is correct to a certain extent. We appreciate when people are 5-10 minutes early, however if they show up 30 minutes early our schedules may not allow us to see them until their scheduled time. Our schedules also do not accommodate for candidates that are more than 10 minutes late. This is also an example of how well they can follow instructions. If candidates can not show up on time for an interview with us, we do not feel comfortable sending them out to interviews with our clients.
Tip #2: Be Prepared
Being prepared for an interview includes a number of things such as being dressed properly, bringing an UPDATED resume and being re
ady to describe your past experiences, work history, etc.
Make sure you dress for success! If you go to an interview wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt with holes in it nobody will take you seriously. Even if the interview is for a general labor position you still need to dress to impress.
Bringing an updated resume is also very important–key word being updated. We like to see your most recent experiences because many of our clients require recent experience meaning experience within the last 6 months to a year.
Tip #3: Be Sure to Listen
Although a big portion of the interview is the candidate talking about their past work experiences, skills, strengths, etc. another important factor is to listen to what questions the employer is asking you. It is very important to answer the questions that you are being asked instead of talking in circles. Listen to everything the employer is telling you about a certain position, company, etc. because you don’t want to have to call back and ask questions that have already been answered.
It is also always good to have a couple of questions prepared about the company you are interviewing for a position at. Do your research about the company before your interview and have the questions ready for them to answer. This will show the employer that you are interested in working there and dedicated your time to learn more about them.
Tip #4: Be Focused
Sometimes an interview takes place in a room where other things are going on such as phones ringing or other people talking that can be very distracting. Try to stay focused on the conversation between you and the interviewer because that is the only one that matters. You can’t control some distractions like other people talking however you can control your cell phone going off in the middle of the interview. Always remember to turn it off before the interview to eliminate it from ringing so you won’t have to use the common excuse “I thought it was on silent.” Be 100% sure it won’t go off by turning it off!
A way to prove that you are focused during an interview is to maintain eye contact throughout the interview. Again, there will be distractions but if you keep good eye contact it will show that you are committed to getting the job and will also make it easier to avoid the other distractions in the room and stay focused.
I hope you find these tips helpful when trying to land your next job!