Be aware of scheduling and make sure you do not have any conflicts with the interview day/time.
Do research on the company. Know what they do, what products or services they provide, and where they are located. Know the mission statement and company values and show your excitement about the opportunity. Never walk into an interview not knowing anything about the company you are interviewing with!
Be prepared to talk about your relevant experience as it pertains to the position. Know the job description well. You want to be sure you know exactly what position you are interviewing for and how your skills can be utilized.
Talk about your soft skills. Know your strengths and areas of improvements. What do you bring to the table? What makes you good at what you do? Employers want to know how you will benefit their company.
If this is a phone interview, make sure to test out your phone or video connection prior to the scheduled interview time to ensure everything is working properly.
If your interview is in person, plan to arrive to the interview early. It would help to do a dry run to the location so you know exactly where you are going. You want to plan for traffic or other unforeseen circumstances.
Bring several copies of your most recent resume/cover letter. Know who you are meeting with and what they do so you know how many copies to bring.
Dress to impress. Know the terrain (i.e. what type of shoes to wear). For example, you would not want to wear high heeled shoes at a work site that is all gravel.
Make sure to give firm handshakes and make eye contact. Also watch your body language. Slow down while talking and do not speak over your interviewer.
Avoid talking negatively about previous employers/colleagues/experiences. Stick to the facts and avoid going on tangents.
Try to avoid divulging too much personal information or cursing during the interview.
Turn your cell phone off or put it on silent.
Come up with at least three questions to ask in the interview (do not mention pay, benefits, time off, etc). Some examples of questions you can ask:
Describe the company work culture.
What does a typical day look like in this role?
What does a successful employee look like in this role? How is that success measured?
What characteristics are you looking for in an employee?
Mock interviews are always a good idea as they give you the opportunity to practice your interviewing skills.
At the end of the interview collect business cards if they have them. You can make notes later on the back of them to help you remember who you met with so that you can send them personalized thank you notes or emails later.
