Dress for Success

Choose your interview outfit several days before the interview so that you can try it on and make sure it fits. Check for any stains or missing buttons and arrange to have it cleaned, if needed.

Get your interview suit and shirt dry cleaned and in your closet two days prior to the interview. Picking things up at the last minute opens you up to possible problems. The last thing you want the night before an interview is pleading with your dry cleaner or having your suit burned by a hot iron.

Dress Rehearsal

Like most things, people get better at interviewing with a little practice. Role playing questions and answers offers many advantages. You will have an opportunity to hear yourself answer a question out loud prior to delivering the same message to a hiring manager.

If you can, try video taping your practice interview so that you can see how your interviewer will see you. Doing so will give you a better idea of what you need to work on in terms of how you present yourself. Feel free to smile when a hiring manager asks you a question you are well prepared for.

What to Bring

A leather portfolio with paper for notes says you are interested and paying attention to what they have to say. Always bring extra copies of your résumé printed on good quality paper (28 lbs. bright white, Hammermill) in the event you meet with more than one interviewer. They may have a copy, but it’s best to be prepared.

Organize your portfolio, notes and research on the company, questions to ask, answers to questions you could be asked, professional reference lists, or any other papers you think your prospective employer would like to see. Everything should be typed out with large, easy to read fonts.

Be prepared for anything. Bring multiple pens. An interview can often take place in a conference room where a hiring manager has forgotten to bring a pen. Colored dry erase pens are good to have with you so you can clearly articulate your vision on a white board. Bring highlighters, breathe mints, and anything else you can think of that might be useful and demonstrate your preparedness.

Research

A visit to the company website is an obvious must. Take the time to read through current news on their site. Find out who their major competitors are and what is going on in their industry. Make sure to do a Google search and hit LinkedIn for all the players you could be interviewing with and to whom they report.

To demonstrate your knowledge of the company, develop a question or two based on your research to ask during the interview. If the interviewers know you did your research, they’ll know you are serious about working for the company.

Last, but not least: Be early!
Early is on time; on time is late; and late doesn’t get a second chance.
Make sure you have good directions to the interview site. DO NOT BE LATE FOR ANY REASON! Leave earlier! Some job seekers make a dry run to the interview site to ensure the directions are correct and to estimate the amount of time they will need to get to the interview.