Editor, Publisher

The most preferred colors to wear to interviews are usually blue and black.  If you don’t have any of these colors in your closet don’t be scared to choose from something else.  In my many rounds of opening and closing with candidates as a recruitment manager for a large ad agency, I was constantly smothered by a sea of blue and black suits and when I finally met a female candidate dressed in a stylish red suit it pleasantly blew me off my feet.  It was really refreshing to meet a candidate that wasn’t afraid to step away from the norm.

Now, I’m not encouraging you to toss out your darks suits just because of this one candidate, but instead I'm making you aware of the fact that applicants have been known to step out the door wearing suits in colors other than just blue and black.  But, whatever color outfit you do decide to go with for your job interview, always make sure it's clean and nicely pressed.

Women should wear appropriate length dresses and skirts.  Also, makeup should be light as opposed to heavier.  Men should wear neatly pressed suits.  If a suit is not owned, then a pair of neatly pressed pants, preferably dark pants, starched white or cream colored shirt, nicely polished dark shoes, along with a simple necktie can always make a man look like he’s ready to take over the helms of a company.

Body Language

Always sit up nice and straight during an interview.  Try to be mindful of your posture.  Occasionally job applicants let their guards down.  They sometimes get too relaxed around more laidback and/or younger interviewers. 

Naturally, the cartoon illustrated above is an overt exaggeration of what usually takes place during an interview, but the real point I'm trying to stress here is simply not to get overly relaxed around seasoned interviewers.  Don’t forget you’re still on an interview no matter how likeable or cool the interviewer may seem.  Even if he's wearing jeans and a t-shirt and looks like he's barely 22, don't ignore the important fact that he's still the interviewer.  Show respect; sit properly in your chair and answer questions in a professional manner. 

Nervousness/Jitters

Try to control any nervous perspiring before going into your interview.  Also, don’t wring your hands excessively, bite your fingernails or stare up at the light fixtures or pictures on the wall.  Don’t spy down at your watch frequently in between questions either.  All of these habits give the unwanted impression that you’re nervous and can’t wait for the interview to end soon.  Regardless of how anxious you might be don’t let the interviewer catch on.  You want him to think that you’re always cool as a cucumber, constantly bubbling with confidence.

Eye Contact

Remember to maintain eye contact during the interview.  Don’t stare down at the desk or get fixed on some boring nameplate, but gaze at your interviewer’s face.  If you’re one of those people that has a really hard time maintaining eye contact during interviews, then divert your attention elsewhere, like the interviewer's forehead or nose.  Both are close enough to the interviewer's eyes.  He’ll never be able to guess that you’re actually staring at another part of his face.

Your Attitude

During the interview make sure to speak with enthusiasm.  One of the biggest complaints mentioned by interviewers is regularly coming across candidates that lack enthusiasm.  Interviewers complain that dispassionate candidates regularly speak as though they had just swallowed a small bottle of Soon Doze and the interviewer was somehow rudely keeping them from their pending naps. 

Also, many interviewers have shared their complaints with me about job applicants not smiling enough either.  One conversation in particular that I had with a former recruiter went like this:

"She obviously had great communication skills.  She told me how she was no longer challenged by her current job.  How she wanted to transition her existing skills to a much smaller company where she’d have the opportunity to wear different hats throughout the course of the day, and as much as she seemed aptly suited for the position I just couldn’t see myself working with her.  She seemed so stiff and unfriendly.  I had her in my office for almost an hour and she smiled only once throughout the whole meeting.”

Collectively, these different behavioral traits can give interviewers the unwelcome impression that candidates are not as sincere about wanting the jobs they say they do.  To help ensure you don’t find yourself grouped with this sort of lifeless group, make sure to speak with passion when explaining why you want to work at a company and remember to smile also. 

Accepting Food or Drinks

If the interviewer offers you something to eat or drink, like for instance a donut, cup of coffee or cup of water, I seriously encourage you to take a pass on the donut and just settle for the drink, if you decide to choose anything.  The last thing I'm sure you'll want is for donut sprinkles or coconut flakes filling up unattractively in your lap or becoming glued to the sides of your mouth while you're describing what sets you apart from other job applicants.

Answering Cell Phones

If your cell phone rings during the interview, definitely do not answer it.  This is the best way to irk an interviewer really fast and find yourself immediately escorted out the door.  Instead, turn your phone off or make sure to silence the ringer before going into your interview.

Verbal Language

When you talk make sure to avoid using “uh’s,” “yeahs,” and “you know what I mean” often.  No hiring director wants to feel like he’s stuck in a room with a recent highschool dropout.  When asked questions try not to be too brief.  Instead elaborate on topics of importance.  It might prove to be beneficial in illustrating your impeccable skills and demonstrating you as a perfect candidate for the position.  Also, remember not to stray from questions asked.  The most notable mistake interviewees make is rambling excessively.  Don’t let it happen to you.  Always stick strictly with the questions asked.

Sticking To Your Beliefs

During any interview you should always speak with conviction.  Don’t sway from your beliefs just because you’re afraid the person behind the desk might not support them.  Keep in mind that you’re interviewing the company as well as the fact that the company is interviewing you.  You have to make sure that the two of you fit.  The last thing you want to do is accept a job offer where you know you’ll be unhappy. 

_________________________________________________

This article is © 2003-2005 by Tracy Miller and may not be reposted without written permission from the author and may not be reprinted for profit.