Interview Tips and Tricks

A friend of mine who recently moved is interviewing for jobs in his new town. He asked me for some tips on interviewing. I thought these are actually useful for anyone who is interviewing for a new job. What other tips would be helpful for a job-seeker?

* Look up the address online so you know where you're going. If you're not sure, take a ride over there the day before so you don't run into any surprises on the day of the interview. You don't want to be late.

* Arrive early (15 minutes early is good). This works for 2 reasons: first, it shows them that you are punctual, and also give you a few minutes and cool off if it is hot outside.

* For the shirt, it should be a button down nice shirt (if you have an iron, run it over the shirt a bit before). I only wear white or dark shirts. You don't want to have sweaty pits that show. A light blue shirt is the worst for this. I've learned the hard way. Any tie is fine.

* If they ask you if you would like something to drink, say yes. A glass of water helps.

* Bring several copies of your resume. 5 is good. Find a manila folder and put them in there. If your hands are sweaty the resumes will be wrinkled. No good, hence, the folder.

* Bring a pen. 2 is even better. You can put them in your shirt pocket if you don't want to hold them.

* Bring blank paper to take notes on, or use the back of one of the resume copies.

* If you don't know the answer to a technical question, be honest. Let them know that you don't know the answer, but you will find out and get back to them. This shows initiative. Write down the question on your paper and find out the answer when you get home.

* Smile. It goes a long way. Be yourself.

* Try not to be nervous. I know this is hard to do. Just think of this as a conversation between you and the other person (or people). We're all human.

* Ask them questions. At the end of the interview they will probably ask you if you have any questions. You always want to have a question or two. If they haven't covered it already, ask about the shift hours or what a typical day is like in the office.

* Have fun! Interviews shouldn't be a nervous experience. It's your chance to let them know a little bit about you and to find out more about the job.

* If they ask about money, be honest and tell them what you were making in your last job. You could also follow up with telling them that you are flexible. Who knows what this job pays and you don't want to scare them off if they're paying $8.50 an hour and you want to make $15 an hour. You can work on this later, if they like you.

* After the interview, send a thank you email to whoever interviews you. Tell them how nice it was to meet them and that you look forward to continuing your conversation about the position. Send that immediately when you get home from the interview.