Are you about to have your first internship or job interview? Afraid you may have made a mistake in your previous one? We have all been there and are thinking the same thoughts as you. Check out these thoughts and tips I have to make your next job interview your best one yet!
Am I dressed right?
Among the many thoughts that flood your head before an interview, one of the questions you may ask yourself is, “Do I look OK?”
The reality is, we as a society have not learned to judge people from the inside instead of the outside. Unfortunately, this means that for job interviews, looks do matter. Appearance is one of the first elements that employers will notice about you so if this is a question you are asking yourself, worry not — I can help!
What you will want to know as you are scheduling your interview is the nature of the work environment: is it business casual or more conservative? Once you figure this out, finding out what to wear is a breeze!
According to Mike of theinterviewguys.com, “You can get a good feel for a company’s culture (including dress) by visiting their website. Often they will have videos (maybe even their own YouTube channel) that will show videos of ‘life at work.’ They often interview employees from various departments, one of which may be the one you are interviewing for.”
When in doubt, simple yet professional is best!
Does my breath smell?
Whether you are interviewing for a job or going on a date, the fear of having bad breath has plagued our minds. The thing is, what if you smell your breath and it really does stink like the onion bagel you shoveled down on the way?
You can avoid this paranoia by preparing beforehand! First, have a pack of mini travel cleaning brushes either in your pocket or your purse. I like Colgate’s Wisp brushes, which you can get for less than $5 at Target. It takes less than a minute to quickly brush and floss your teeth and no rinsing is required!
Second, a pack of peppermint gum always helps as well; just make sure to spit it out before you go in for your interview, as you don’t want to be chomping like a cow!
Are my nerves showing?
There is no getting around it, folks. As humans, it is natural to get nervous, especially in stressful situations. If you feel anxious and nervous before your interview, consider these steps from lifehack.com. They say, “arrive early, learn breathing techniques to practice before being called in, and run your wrists under cold water in the bathroom when you arrive at the venue.”
Am I making a good impression?
First impressions can be intimidating, but consider the fact that not only are you dressed perfectly, but also your breath doesn’t stink! Perhaps you stuttered on your introduction or mispronounced the interviewer’s name. Seriously, do not worry about it. As important as first impressions are, there will be plenty of time to make up for your slip-ups during the interview. Be aware of mistakes and move on, using them as fuel to make yourself look even better!
Is my phone on silent?
You probably were spam texting all of your friends and family on the way to the interview about how nervous you were, and I hope they gave you a great pep talk! Now that you’ve gotten to your interview, I recommend turning off your phone completely.
As much as we love to roam on our phone while it’s silenced, you never know when that forgotten alarm or background app will sneak up and surprise you with unwanted noise. Save yourself the worry and turn it off once you get there; that way it is one less thought in your mind!