Congratulations! You’ve set up an interview for an opportunity with an amazing company. Now comes the hard part: making sure that you impress the interviewer and land that position. While no one can guarantee that you will win every assignment, every time, we at Visium have prepared some guidelines that can increase the chances of you having a successful interview and getting that job.
1. Know the Who, What and Where
When you have your first interview, it is easy to get confused. Many companies have multiple locations, so it is important to know the correct location where the interview is taking place. In addition, educating yourself on the company is a great place to start. Visit the company’s website, LinkedIn page and search the internet for any recent events surrounding the company. Try to determine their mission, vision, customers, products and/or services. Hiring managers often complain that candidates apply without knowing anything about the company. The more you know about your potential employers the better you can sell yourself to the hiring manager. This also applies to the specifics of the job. Before the interview, make sure you know what the important areas of your resume are to highlight for the position. You don’t want to expand on areas that have no relation to the skills that the hiring manager is needs.
2. Dress Appropriately
While it should go without saying, it is extremely important to always dress professionally when going into an interview. As with most things, your first impression is the most important one, and the judgement that the interviewer will have on you is going to be initially based on what you are wearing. Visium recruiters can give you insight into the preferred dress, but in general, you want to dress as professionally as possible for your interview. For men, we’d suggest: a suit jacket, shirt, tie and slacks; while for women, usually we’d suggest a blouse and dress pants or a dress. Whether you are a man or women, you will also want to think about the colors that you are wearing. You don’t want to wear anything too flashy that might distract the interviewers.
3. Arrive Early
We always suggest planning to arrive at least 10 minutes before the scheduled time for your interview. This extra time allows you the opportunity to pull yourself together – comb your hair, take a deep breath and collect your thoughts before meeting the hiring manager. At Visium Resources, we believe a successful interview starts with your confidence. The extra time allowed by getting to the interview site early allows you to present yourself as the best person for the job by being calm and confident when meeting the hiring manger. If for any reason you are running late, make sure that you call your recruiter or the hiring manager prior to the scheduled interview time. If you simply do not show up, there is little chance of you getting a second opportunity.
4. Be Succinct and Clear
During your interview, you want to speak clearly, confidently and maintain eye contact with your interviewer. You want to sound un-rushed and natural, not rehearsed. Be prepared to talk about previous experience that you have had that may be relevant to the job at hand, and how you can use that experience to help the company and make yourself a valuable member of their team. However, remember to have a successful interview you want to stick to the questions asked; fight the urge to ramble on about every detail of your past jobs. It is okay to stop talking once you have answered the question asked. Do not criticize former employers, co-workers, companies and/or projects; emphasize the positive results as much as possible.
5. Ask Questions
A successful interview will always end with the hiring manager asking you if you have any questions for him. This is your chance to let him know you are extremely interested, asking intelligent questions demonstrates your interest and knowledge in the position. If you have done your research into the company and position, you should be able to prepare relevant and thoughtful questions prior to your interview. Many qualified candidates lose out on great positions every day because they appear to be disinterested in the position or company, don’t let this happen to you.
6. The Day After
Everyone appreciates appreciation! After a successful interview, it is always a good idea to send a quick email or note thanking the interviewer for their time. Keep your message brief but be sure to let them know that you found the interview to be informative, the position interesting and that you appreciated the opportunity to interview with them. This lets the hiring manager know that you are serious about the position and helping their company grow. Additionally, if you think you may have overlooked some important information during your interview, this gives you the perfect opportunity to let the interviewer know.
No matter where you are interviewing and who you are interviewing with, these quick tips are sure to give you a leg up when interviewing for that great position. We at Visium Resources have been helping people find their ideal positions for over 16 years. Having a recruiter to help with preparation for interviews is an invaluable asset when competing for hard to get jobs in the information and technology sector. By teaming up with Visium, not only do you receive the benefits of having a personalized contact to reach out to for help, but many other benefits as well! Check out our open jobs today and start on the road to your new career today! Best of luck!
