SharpHat’s CEO Discusses Tips For Interviewing:
Interviewing for a job can be a stressful situation at times. Whether you are out of work, or you are currently employed and are testing the market, these tips for interviewing can help make the difference when trying to land the job of your dreams…
Do Research About the Company
You’ve sent your resume, and scheduled the interview. Now is the time to do some research. Go to the company’s website, read and learn as much as you can and learn as much about the company as you can before your interview. Check out their social media pages as well. Most companies will have a Facebook, Twitter and/or LinkedIn page. If the opportunity arises, bring up information in the interview that you learned while doing your research. Many times, an interviewer will ask if you’ve gone to the company’s website, and this is your chance to show that you are truly interested in the opportunity.
Dress to Impress
Unless the company specifies what you should wear, your best bet is to stay traditional. Women should wear professional outfits, and men should wear a suit and tie (and yes, you should iron your shirt and tuck it in!). Our company – an application development firm – is very casual (just about everyone wears a black t-shirt and jeans to work), but we still like to see how our employees will present themselves when they get dressed up for special events or client visits.
Show Up On Time – Not Early, Not Late
This one is a challenge for a lot of people. You may think you’re doing something great by walking into the office 30 minutes before your interview time, but you’re not. If your interview is set at 2pm, do not walk in before 1:55. It’s great to leave early to avoid traffic, but if you happen to get there early, sit in your car and prep. Similarly, you don’t want to be late. Walking in at 2:02 for a 2:00 interview is being late. You are not sending a great message to a potential employer by showing up late, no matter what the reason is.
Turn Your Phone Off
Seems obvious, but many people forget to do this. The last thing you want to do while interviewing is have your phone ring. It’s especially worse to look at it during the interview. Best bet is to leave the phone in the car, but if you must bring it with you, make sure to keep it in silent mode.
Ask Questions
I am always impressed when I interview someone and they ask me a really good, or challenging question. Remember, you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. You can integrate your research about the company into asking some questions that show you’re on top of your game and interested in the position. Some interesting questions we’ve had candidates ask us are “What traits do you value most in an employee?”, and “What are your growth plans?” They were thought-provoking and brought on some good follow-up communication.
Send Thank You Email
Imagine you killed it on your interview. You were relaxed, dressed well, answered everything that was thrown your way, asked some intriguing questions. Now, it’s down to you and one other candidate. That person took the time to remember the names of each person they interviewed with, collected business cards, and wrote a sincere thank you email to everyone they met. You, on the other hand, did not. It could be a little detail like this that separates someone from getting or not getting the job. If you’re interested in the position, send an email to everyone you met. Also, take the time to write a different email to each person, and don’t do the cut-and-paste thing. We do compare the emails we get with each other.
At the end of the day, if it is meant to be, it will be. Try to relax, be yourself, and let the chips fall where they may.
