So this is it: you’ve received an invitation to interview at that company that you have been obsessed with. They are a perfect fit for you, and you are the perfect fit for the job – all you have to do is make them see it and convince them that you are the only person that they should even be thinking about for this job. But not every single interview always goes to plan, and you really need this one to be one of those interviews that could not have gone any better. So what do you do? We have put together these five tips to help you get hired, and funnily enough, none of them have anything to do with what you do and say during the interview. All of the groundwork around it is what so many people miss, so make sure that you don’t miss out on the chance to shine through these five tips:
- Make sure that you have a winning smile
Nothing says confidence like a beaming smile, and scientists have actually discovered through their research that we are much more likely to trust someone who smiles in a genuine way. That is why you should take a short trip to the dentist’s the week before your interview, if possible. Dr Paige Woods, a dentist from San Diego, often sees people before an interview so that she can make sure their smile is bright and gleaming.
- Find out the dress code beforehand
You don’t want to be the one person in the office wearing a suit – and at the same time, you don’t want to dress too casually and be immediately discounted. Contact the HR department and find out what the dress code is way before the interview itself – it may feel weird, but it shows good research skills and dedication to fitting into the company.
- Be nice to the receptionist
Many people don’t realise this, but your interview actually starts the moment that you step onto their property – right in the car park. If you treat a receptionist or someone similar really badly, rudely, and without care or consideration, that is going to be fed back to your interviewer, and it is not going to look good for you.
- Follow up with a card
Cheesy maybe, but it certainly helps. Thanking your interviewer for taking the time to meet with you and discuss this opportunity is something that used to be done all of the time, and now someone we have got out of the habit of it. Start out from the rest of the crowd of applicants and do something that would make your mother proud of you.
- Be willing to do a trial day
Being offered a trial day doesn’t mean that they don’t think you can do the work; it means that they want to check that you would gel well with the team. This is your moment to really shine, far beyond a staged interview. Just do what you do best, and they will see why they should hire you.
Read about Dr. Woods’ San Diego practice here – http://paigewoods.com
