THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Smile and maintain good eye contact throughout
• Dress conservatively / appropriately for the interview
• Prepare a list of questions to ask
• Answer questions with more than just a "yes" or "no" - always try to back up answers with examples which illustrate your skills and how you could contribute to the company
• Let the interviewer bring up the subject of salary
• Don’t criticise your current/previous employer

Body Language

• The way in which you present yourself will tell the interviewer much more about you than your CV ever could so be aware of any bad habits you are prone to such as fidgeting or gesticulating
• Keep your handshake firm, but not too forceful
• Aim to maintain good posture throughout the meeting – try not to slouch
• Listen - acknowledge the interviewer's comments with nods and if you are being interviewed by more than one person, engage the whole panel when answering their questions
• Maintain good eye contact throughout the interview

         

Controlling Jitters Before Your Interview

 

The prospect of sitting alone in a room with a stranger and talking about yourself  can    be terrifying. You certainly don't want the stress to overwhelm you. If an interviewer's strongest impression of you at the end of the interview is the sweat on your brow, quiver in your voice, and the twitches in your limbs, you're in trouble. Here's how to put things in perspective.

            

Remember:

• Someone at the organisation likes you and thinks you have a chance to contribute. You've haven't been called in to be tortured - you have a real shot at getting hired.
• If this interview doesn't work out, you will have another one. There are a lot of jobs out there.
• Every interviewing experience you have will prepare you to do better in the next one.
• The person sitting across from you was once sitting on the hot seat just like you, and they survived and got the job even though their voice trembled a bit and their knees knocked a little. Everyone's been through the situation and knows what it's like.
• Just like everyone else, this person interviewing you has friends and casual acquaintances with whom they hang out. They aren't always so formal. Try to connect with your interviewer on a human level, without being too goofy and informal.

        

Dealing with anxiety

 

It would be a shame to let something as insignificant and short-lived as an attack of nerves conceal your winning attributes. Here are some tips to prevent nervous tics and other imperfections from interfering with your best interview ever.

If you're concerned with a piece of clothing in your interview ensemble, change it. In addition to favourably impressing your interviewer, your clothes should do nothing but support and feed the confidence and comfort of the intelligent, sensitive creature wearing them.

During the interview you'll want to look neat, clean, and well composed. You should always wear a suit. Even if the workplace where you're applying is business casual (or has no dress code whatsoever.) Even if the interviewer tells you that you don't need to wear a suit. It's always better to overdress than under-dress. Stick to conservative navy, grey or black, wear tights and closed-toe shoes.

If a deficiency on your CV worries you, don't obsess on it and let it sink your spirits. Think about this deficiency and how you will explain it before you go in for the interview. It's there, so deal with it and move on. Remember, they've agreed to interview despite this flaw, so it can't be a show stopper. If there is any way of putting a positive spin on it without making it a feature of the interview, plan a short but sweet response.

On the day of the interview, breathing exercises can help you relax and focus your energy. Closing your eyes, imagine a peaceful place. Or, visualise yourself acing the interview. Here's another one: place your tongue at the roof of your mouth just behind the teeth and then breath quickly and forcefully through your nose for as long as you can. If you push yourself at this, when you then inhale deeply through your mouth again, you should feel energised.