Do's

Preparation and confidence: Preparation and confidence are very important tips. Good preparation always creates confidence. So the important thing to an interview is to be well prepared. In this you have to consider two things:

• You must prepare yourself practically for the interview.
• You have to gather information which is useful during the interview.

Checklist: While going to interview you must consider the following things:

• You have to confirm about the time, date and location of the interview and name of interviewee where appropriate.
• You have to plan to get there no earlier than half an hour before the interview time.
• You must ready with your dress which is professional.
• Concentrate on the interview at the interview.
• If you are asked to bring certificates, references etc., get them ready before the day. Your interview letter must be with you.
• On arrival ensure the receptionist knows you are there.

Be on time: Public transport may be useless if the traffic is heavy. Always keep in mind that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So be on time at the particular location of interview.  Also if you are there so early, you can wait nearby cafe of shop. And if you are going to be late, then best option is call them and inform them the status.

Be Prepared: Preparations means not only preparation of your syllabus etc; but also look at the company’s website and learn something about the company before you attend your interview.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression: First keep in mind that you never get a second chance to make the first impression, so be careful. Some points are here to remember:

• Smile is one which may matter in your impression. Good smile always please people.
• Dressing also an important thing. You should be in professional dress. And must be looking formal.
• Do not forget for firm handshake.
• Eye contact without glaring is showing your confidence.

Self Introduction: Prepare self introduction properly with a greetings, starting note and end properly with an ending note. Say Thank you at the end of your self-introduction. Make sure you explain your project with proper description. Your strengths, achievements, rewards, leadership qualities should be communicated properly.

Do not talk too much: Always remember that communication is two-way process so give them a chance. Also don't interrupt the interviewer when he/she is talking. Give him/her full chance to talk. One common mistake candidates make when interviewing is talking too much. It is important to listen to the question asked and answer that question. Keep your answers to two to three minutes to the maximum. When you limit your time, you tend to stay more focused. It is very easy to stray off the subject and ramble about things irrelevant to the job if your answer is too long.

Check in During Interviews: Your initial interview answers should be brief. But some of your best stories may take time to detail, then after two minutes ask for permission to go on. You may say something like, "Now I have described about my project, would you like to hear about my role in detail?"

First Comes the Phone: Nowadays telephone screening is becoming very common. So you need to be prepared for the phone to ring at any time. These screenings may be for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your answers and fit for the job. It is helpful if you have thought about questions likely to be asked during the screening and prepared your answers.

Take a spare photo and CV with you: It may happen that the interviewer wants your resume and photo. Your interviewer won't be expecting it so you will impress them. It also helps them remember you after the interview. So always keep a spare photo and resume with you while going to interview. Your resume should be modified in such a way that you have applied for the particular job. Cross check your resume with your seniors who care a lot in your career. They will find mistakes and will correct it accordingly.

Look Them in the Eyes: Eye contact is showing your confidence. Eye contact is one of the most important aspects of nonverbal communication and can make a significant difference in how you present yourself. If you look away when speaking to someone, you are viewed as lacking confidence or interest. So always answer the question with eye contact to interviewer.

Talk about specific achievements: Interviewers like to know how you felt about a particular success. Some will ask for specific examples of things you have done that you are particularly proud of; how you solved problems; how you learned - and improved - from difficult situations.

Bring Up a Weakness: In an interview, bring up a weakness before you are asked for one. For example, "I really need to work on my leadership skills. I am a good worker and totally competent, but sometimes I lack the confidence to stand up and take a leadership position." This will help you a lot as you want to improve yourself.

Sell Yourself: Interviewing is about selling yourself. The product you are selling is “you”. Give them reasons to buy. Tell them what you can do for them. Emphasize what you can bring to the company, department and position. Convince them that your product is better than the others.

Talking Salary: Timing is everything in the interview. Let them bring up the subject of money. If you are asked what your salary expectations are too early in the process, just say you would rather postpone that discussion until you have more information about the position.

Do not forget to listen: Listening is one of the most underused interview skills. Most candidates are so nervous about answering interview questions correctly that they forget to listen. Follow these tips:

• Listen through eye contact.
• Listen with nonverbal expressions.
• Listen until the speaker is finished.
• Do not interrupt.

Put up with rejection? If you are rejected from the company, you may feel hurt, angry or fed up. Instead of being stuck in feeling rejected, take back the power by staying proactive. If you really wanted to work for that particular company, sit down and write a letter. Remind them of all the positive points you could bring to the organization. Let them know you are still interested in working for the company if something should change or open up.

Face the feedback: If you ask for feedback from an interviewer, be prepared to hear things that could be upsetting. You should listen carefully, and take notes to refer to and react to. Do not argue or defend yourself. At last do not forget to thank the interviewer. Then, take the advice and think about changing some techniques to improve on your next interview.

Ask Questions: There is always an opportunity to ask them questions at the end of the interview, remember the interview is a two-way process; you need to be sure you want to join them. Write your questions down prior to the interview and take them with you.

Be honest: Be honest with every question. No need to lying about your background and/or skills. If you get caught then you will definitely out. Job interviews are about matching needs, if there is not a good match, and then there is no chance of job.

Presentation: Dressing is also important aspect at the time of interview. Dressing should be appropriate for the post and the company. Try to get information about what the company would expect from employees. What would be appropriate for a building company is very different for a public relations agency. Be well-groomed and clean and above all try to look confident.

Get to Work: If you are Unemployed? Then your job right now is to find a job. Do not blame to yourself. Think of this as going to work. Research companies, industries and positions. Take this as good experience to succeed in future interviews.

Be enthusiastic and positive: During interview always be enthusiastic. Do not say bad points for the previous employers. Focus on positive achievements and views.

Don’ts

Not preparing for the interview: Keep in mind that preparation always increases confidence. So do not face the interview without preparation. You cannot communicate without pre-interview research.

Showing up late or too early: One of the first lessons in job-search is to show up on time for interviews. Many job seekers do not realize that showing up too early often creates a poor first impression. Arriving more than 10 minutes early for an interview shows that the job seeker has too much time on his or her hands. Always remember that your time is as valuable as the interviewer's. Always arrive on time, but never more than 10 minutes early.

Treating the receptionist rudely: The first person you meet on an interview is a receptionist. The receptionist has the power to say about your positive or negative points before you even set eyes on the interviewer. The interviewer may also solicit the receptionist's opinion of you after you leave.

Talking too much: Talking too much always creates a problem. To avoid over-talking, practice answering questions in a direct manner. Avoid nervous talking by preparing for your interview with role-play.

Asking about benefits, vacation time or salary: Do not ask about the benefits, vacation time or salary during the first interview. Wait until you have won the employer over before beginning that discussion.

Verbal ticks: The first signs of nervousness are verbal ticks. We all have them from time to time "umm," "like," "you know." You can also sometimes avoid verbal ticks by pausing for a few seconds to gather your thoughts before each response. To reduce the verbal ticks practice for sharing your best success stories ahead of time, and you will feel more relaxed during the real interview.

Not enough/too much eye contact: Eye contact shows your confidence but it may happen that it creates a negative effect also. Avoid eye contact and you will seem shifty, untruthful, or disinterested. If you sometimes have trouble with eye-contact balance, work this issue out ahead of time in an interview practice session with a friend.

Failure to match communication styles: It is almost impossible to make a good first impression if you cannot communicate effectively with an interviewer. But you can easily change that situation. Following points will help to you.

• If the interviewer seems all business, then you must be behaving like business.
• If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his/her interests.
• If the interviewer asked a direct question, answer directly.

Allowing the interviewer to set the tone of conversation can vastly improve your chances of making a favorable impression.

Final Thoughts: Just as a strong resume wins you an opportunity to interview, strong interview skills will win you consideration for the job. You already know that you won't earn an interview unless your resume sets you apart as a candidate of choice. Start your job search with a resume that creates a stellar first impression.

Poor handshake: In every place handshaking matters a lot. With the help of handshaking anyone can judge your personality. The shake hand starts the interview and that is your first opportunity to create a great impression. If you have delivered a poor handshake, it is impossible for you to recover it. Here are some examples:

• The limp hand gives the impression of disinterest or weakness
• Only tips of the fingers shows lack of ability to engage
• The arm pump shows overly aggressive salesman

Your handshake may be telling more about you than you know. Ask about your handshaking to your friends who are not afraid to tell you the truth.

Talking negatively about current or past employers/managers: The fastest way to talk yourself out of a new job is to say negative things. Even if your last boss was not good, never state your ill feelings about him/her. No matter how reasonable your complaints, you will come out the loser if you show that you disrespect your boss because the interviewer will assume that you would similarly trash him or her. When faced with the challenge of talking about former employers, make sure you are prepared with a positive spin on your experiences.

ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR CAREER!