After several job applications have been submitted with no replies, it is pretty exciting to get the call to come in for an interview. Keep in mind, no matter how excited you are, there are several other candidates that are just as excited and sure that they are the best person for the job.

Go into the job interview prepared. Know your skills. Refresh yourself on the dates of employment and training. Review the resume you submitted to that company, they will ask you questions from it….be ready. This is very important if you had different resumes that suited different jobs.

Know the company that you will be interviewed by. Do a little research online and ask around about them. Pick a few things you like about the company and even a question about something you’d like to more about the company.

When choosing your clothes to wear, consider the atmosphere of the company. When interviewing with a more casual company, a button shirt and dress pants or a casual dress will probably be fine. For the more professional company atmosphere a tie may be appropriate and a more formal style dress would be appropriate. Always dress up from the atmosphere of the company. Go conservative on jewelry, hairstyle, clothes, and easy on the make-up.

Be very prompt. Plan to be there at least half an hour before the interview. You don’t have to sit in the waiting area, but you should be signed in at least 15 minutes before interview. Heading towards the interview at least half an hour before the appointment will assure that even if there are traffic problems or other unforeseen delay occurs, you will still be on time. You can always take a walk near the business to relax if you get there really early.

Go over your answers to possible interview questions. They may be typical questions about why you want to work for the company, or situational questions about how you have handled conflict. Traits that an interviewer will be looking for include the following: 

• Ability to work as a part of a team
• Problem solving capabilities
• Experience following “chain of command”
• Self-motivated
• Skilled at getting along with different people

At the end of the interview, ask when a decision will be made and when would be the latest that you should expect to hear from them regarding the results of the interview. A few days after that date, if you haven’t heard back it is acceptable to call and ask about the status of your application.

Relax and walk into your job interview with confidence so that your qualifications and skills shine through.