Blag Your Way Through A Job Interview

Even the slackest applicants can blag a top job at interview. A first impression is formed mostly on what you look like and managers tend to hire people they feel personally comfortable with. As long as you dress well, talk confidently, and most importantly don’t arrive late, even a blagger can score a top job nowadays!

Dress Like You Mean Business!

When dressing for a job interview, dress up. Try to look like you’ve got the job already. The outfit you choose should not take away from your personality, it should simply add to forming a good impression.

The outfit you choose should reflect the job that you're going for, not the one you already have. Make sure you are comfortable in your chosen outfit by trying it on in advance, ensuring a good fit. This also gives you the chance to check for any damage or staining, giving you plenty of time to rectify this. Ladies shouldn’t dress tarty but come across as professional. You should aim to look elegant, smart and well held together. Always choose the colours of your outfit carefully, for example wearing the colour red conveys competition, anger and sex.

Carry all your personal items in a bag, if your pockets are bulging, or your coat lining is sagging, you will most definitely ruin the look of even the best suit or jacket and you won’t do much for your figure, either.

Your Interview Personality

You should come across as assertive, intelligent and articulate at interview. It is important to be polite and amicable from the very first moment you meet your interviewer. Try to relax so that you don’t come across as nervous, talk too fast or start sweating too much.

Remember that if you’ve been invited for an interview then you must be the kind of jon candidate this company are looking for. Your interviewer will primarily want to meet you to find out if you would be a good team fit and to see how you cope under pressure.

Your personality is being assessed but you don’t need to try to be someone you’re not. If you come across naturally and don’t get the job then you almost certainly wouldn’t have enjoyed the working environment anyway. The interview is an opportunity for you to find out about the company as much as it is a means for them to find out about you. Ask questions throughout the interview to demonstrate your intelligence and inquisitiveness as well as for your own information.

Five personality tips

• Relax. Your interviewer is just someone doing their job. They want you to succeed as much as you do. If they like you and hire you, they won’t have to interview so many other candidates!
• Be confident. Act like you work at the company already. Research the company before hand so that you can talk with clarity and confidence about the work they do.
• Be articulate. Don’t use slang, don’t swear and don’t talk too fast!
• Stick to your guns. You don’t have to agree with everything the interviewer says (confident people disagree when they think they are correct) but don’t be rude!
• If you can, be humorous, but don’t go out of your way to tell jokes!

Meeting, Greeting And Leaving At The Interview

At the start and the end of the interview you will need to be more than polite to make a great impression. Stand up, shake hands and maintain good eye contact whilst smiling, with conviction. Before you get to your interview, think about something polite to say as you walk to the interview room such as a comment about the weather, traffic, local area or building.

At the end of the interview, wait for your interviewer to get up first, then rise and thank them. Only shake hands when you are sure you won’t see them again, at a lift or another official exit. Again, smile and keep good eye contact.

Twelve Top Interview Tips

• Stand up to say hello and goodbye. This shows you are polite.
• If you have sweaty hands make sure you wipe them down before shaking someone’s hand. No one wants to shake hands with a flannel!
• Wash your hands (and yourself) before the interview. Your hands, and what you do with them, will be assessed during interview.
• Shake hands firmly. This makes you seem much more powerful.
• Maintain eye contact as much as you can, but don’t stare vacantly into someone’s eyes.
• Smile whenever you can.
• Iron your clothes
• Polish (and clean) your shoes
• Dress as smartly as you possibly can, unless it’s a job where you definitely won’t be wearing a suit. In this case, wear something subtle.
• Have a sensible hair cut before interview.
• Smell nice. Use some perfume or aftershave but don’t put on too much!
• Most importantly NEVER EVER arrive late!