You’ve done an excellent job of drafting your resume, carefully crossed all the “I”s and dotted all the “t”s. The company of your dreams has invited you for an aptitude test and you have just aced it. Now, you’ve just received the mail you’ve been waiting for…an invitation for an interview and you’re ecstatic, like you just won the lottery. In the midst of your ecstasy, your stomach churns as you start to wonder, how do I prepare for this?

In my next few posts, I will share with you some interview tips that you will undoubtedly find useful in getting yourself ready to ace your interview. I will start by putting to you two fundamentals one. 

1. Research the organization:

First things first, do your homework. Hit the internet, read the papers, phone a friend, whatever you do, make sure you get to know the organization you are interviewing for. Interviewers believe that if you are really serious about joining their organization, you would have done some homework to know what it is they do and how they create value.

So what should you be looking for? First, ensure you research the correct organization. Sounds like a no brainer, but you’ll be surprised just how many organizations have similar names or are part of a larger group of companies. Be sure which company you are interviewing with and research it intently. Find out who are the owners, existing corporate partnerships and operating locations. 

Second, look out for the latest news items concerning the organization. What are their latest projects, have they had a recent management change, is there a recently announced strategic direction, is there a new industry trend, did they receive a recent award… The point is to find something of business value that is trending in the news. Check the date of the information and research around the most recent information you can find. This certainly helps to impress your interviewer and sends the message that you are very much interested in the organization you are interviewing for. 

2. Take care of first impressions.

First impressions they say last forever. Well, I’m not sure how true that statement is, but they definitely last long enough to make a recruitment decision. Psychologists say it takes about seven seconds to form a first impression on someone you’re meeting for the first time. It is possible that if your interviewer is trained to be more objective, this impression may take longer to form. However, don’t count on your interviewer being bias-free. Even though this is something that HR professionals will typically train for, a first impressions bias can come quite naturally to the best of us. And I don’t say that to mean that first impressions are necessarily wrong or negative. They’re simply causes of unconscious biases that can work for or against you. The faster you a favorable first impression is formed of you, the better your chances of getting the job. So you at least you want to make sure you are not presenting a negative first impression and inadvertently pulling the trigger on your own dreams.

In practical terms, what should you pay attention to regarding first impressions?   

For starters, be punctual. Tardiness speaks volumes to your prospective employer regardless of how justifiable it may be. I dare say it is better not to show up at all and send in regrets than to show up late for an interview. Make your transportation plans ahead and factor in traffic snarls or whatever else are the potential time wasters in your city. 

Secondly, perhaps the more obvious first impression you will make is in the way you appear. It is prudent to show up well groomed, in well fitting smart clothes and shoes. Except you already have a wide variety to choose from, I recommend you make the choice of clothing and accessories ahead of time as well. It’s important that you appear dressed in a manner that portrays you as professional, confident and self-assured. Remember it’s for first impressions, so it’s not about overtly making a fashion statement. Even though many times, your appearance may not be scored as part of the requirements of the interview, it greatly influences the first impression and can make the interviewer already endeared to you. Don’t overdo it though. A low neckline blouse revealing one pound too many of cleavage, curve accentuating, flesh revealing clothing, sagging trousers and the like, do not send the right first impression. Keep your color choices simple. Avoid anything that can distract the attention of your interviewer.

Let me touch on a subject many wouldn’t dare. I say this from experience and without prejudice. People can have an odor. There it is…I said it. Indeed you might not own a car yet and so you arrived at the interview in an airconditionless rickety taxi cab on a boiling hot tropical summer afternoon, dripping in sweat from all your pores. Don’t expect that your interviewer will sympathize. It touches on the first impression. An interviewer who has been seeing other candidates before you came in for your interview can immediately sense the atmospheric change occasioned by your body odor. Same goes for other kinds of odor. So what should you do? When you arrive, take a quick toilet break, freshen up and deal with any odor issues. Carry with you a light body spray or cologne if you know you are susceptible to body odor and some mouthwash if you are susceptible to mouth odor and whatever other ammunition you need to fight odor. Nothing to be ashamed about. 

Next time, I will touch on some more tips to prepare you for your interview. In the meantime, stay positive, stay focused, and you’ll land that dream job soon.

All the best

Deji