So, with that in mind, let's go over some basic guidelines for making that positive first impression and getting the job offer. Here are our top ten job interview dos and don'ts to consider for the big day.
Job interview dos
Do prepare. We can't stress this strongly enough. Do your homework before the job interview. Check out the company's website and social media presence. Google them for any recent news articles or media stories.
Look up the name of the person you will be interviewing with so that you know what their role is within the company.
One of the biggest turn-offs for employers is candidates arriving at job interviews having little knowledge about the company or what they do. Preparing in advance of the meeting not only makes you appear to be a more serious contender for the job, but it also allows you to describe your work experience and skills in a way that is relevant to the employer.
Do make eye contact and watch your body language. How you present yourself in a job interview can be as critical to your success as the content of what you say. This is because the employer is forming their first impression of you as a professional, and as a person they may spend a great deal of time working with for some time to come.
On both counts, you want to come across as warm, friendly, and confident. So, smile and make eye contact. Look at the other person while they are speaking, and don't fidget, cross your arms defensively, or mumble your responses.
Answer questions thoughtfully. Job interviews can be stressful situations. You know the employer is watching you closely and judging you. Still, don't just blurt out the first thing that pops into your head when they ask you a question. Take a few seconds. Think about what they are asking and how best to answer it. Formulate your response in your head before you start speaking.
The silence of those few seconds while you come up with an answer can be unnerving, but they seem longer to you than they really are. Taking that time will allow you to speak more eloquently, rather than stumbling over your words because you began speaking before you knew what you wanted to say.
Do ask smart, relevant questions. Most job interviews end with the employer asking you if you have any questions for them. Have a question or two prepared in advance. These should be about the nature of the job, the challenges of the role, or the company culture. Something that shows you are interested in the position and thinking about it long-term.
What you should not ask is for any basic information about the company that you could have easily obtained just by looking at their website. This will only make you appear unprepared and less serious about the position.
Do obtain the contact information of everyone who interviews you. Often it is a person from the Human Resources department that will conduct a pre-screening phone call and set up the one on one interview with the hiring manager. Sometimes, the hiring manager will bring in a department head or a team member to participate in your job interview. You should make sure that you have the names and email addresses of each person who took part in the interview. This way, you can send an individual note to each of them thanking them for their time and for considering your candidacy. [See also: How to write a thank you note.]
The more people the hiring manager brought into the meeting, the better. It shows that they are seriously considering hiring you – otherwise, they would not bother to make demands on other people's time. So, do send that thank you email to each of them.
Job interview don'ts
Don't be late. This should probably go without saying but being late is among the worst things you could do in a job interview. Even if they go through the motions of meeting with you after you were late, most employers consider this a deal-breaker.
If you cannot plan and prepare for any contingency so that you can arrive on time for a meeting as important to your future as a job interview, then what does that say to the employer about your ability to manage your day-to-day responsibilities if they were to hire you?
Research the location of the interview, plan your route. Try a test trip over there. Budget extra time and arrive early. Don't be late for a job interview.
In the case of a video interview, test all of your equipment, camera, sound levels, lighting, and background, well in advance of the meeting. Don't be late signing into a job interview Zoom or Teams call because you are still fidgeting with your connections at the last minute.
Don't bring food or beverage. You might be tempted to bring a coffee with you, especially to a morning meeting, but don't do this. It's unprofessional to bring refreshments with you to a job interview. It ties up one of your hands holding it, and there might not be a convenient place to set it down. You might get stuck holding an empty cup or leaving it behind. There is always the risk of leaks or spills. Then there's also the possibility of having coffee breath – although this might be less of an issue in the post-COVID world.
By the same notion, it is even worse of an idea to bring food with you. You don't want to be eating in the interview room or talking with your mouth full.
The same goes for a video interview. Eating or drinking during the meeting just comes across as too casual, like you are not taking the interview seriously. Focus on making a positive impression on the potential employer, and have your snack afterwards.
Don't ask about salary and benefits. While of course you would like to know about the pay and the perks that the company offers for the role, the job interview is not the right time to ask about these. In this crucial meeting, your goal is to make the employer see you as the best possible candidate for the job. Great candidates are motivated to join the team, contribute to the company's success, and hear more about the work itself.
Bringing up compensation too early can give the impression that you are primarily in it for the money and are, therefore, a less desirable candidate. Use the job interview to impress the employer with your enthusiasm and professionalism. Once they want to hire you, they will make you an offer – and it is then that you can discuss salary. [See: How to negotiate your starting salary.]
Don't be negative. The job interview is no time to vent - or even to be honest about some things. A common interview question is about why you left your last job or want to leave your current one. While most people choose to leave jobs because of their relationships with their manager or some other aspect of the job that they do not like, this is not the answer to give to a potential new employer.
Anything negative you say about your past bosses or jobs will only reflect poorly on you. The interviewer will probably be wondering how you would be bad-mouthing them next to your future potential employers.
Nobody wants to hire a complainer. Say only positive things about your past work – even if you have to fake it – and say that your motivation for moving on is that you are excited about the potential of the opportunity ahead of you. (And not that you are fleeing anything negative behind you.)
Don't be distracted by your phone. Everybody knows not to answer a call on their cell phone during a job interview, right? It should be clear why that is considered to be disrespectful to the interviewer.
However, many employers report that candidates are still checking their phones in interviews. They have them in their hands, glance at the screens, and swipe through messages. Apparently, this behaviour is particularly common among younger applicants.
The generation that grew up in the cell phone era might not see how it comes across as rude to look at a screen while having a conversation with someone, but it can cost you a job opportunity. Many employers consider looking at – or even touching – your cell phone to be a deal breaker in a job interview.
Even looking at another device offscreen on a video call could have the same effect. It sends the message that the interview is only marginally important to you, and there are other things that you would rather be paying attention to.
Turn your phone off – or at least silence all alerts, notifications, and vibrations before the interview, and don't turn them back on again until it is over. Leave it out of sight in a bag or your pocket, so there is no temptation to even look at it.
The job interview is all about making a positive first impression on a potential employer. So, be on time, be prepared, and be upbeat. Don't complain about your past employers or get distracted by food, beverages, or your smartphone.
