Making yourself stand out among great candidates can be challenging. After nearly two decades of interviewing candidates for various positions, here are the key (little) things that stand out and the reasons why I hire one deserving candidate over another:
1.Dress for success!
Spend the money and buy a nice navy suit whether a man or woman. Also get a nice white or blue dress shirt to wear underneath. Wear a conservative tie or accessories for females. Get a nice pair of black dress shoes or heals. You need to make this investment in yourself in order to secure the job you want. I’ve interviewed people in brown suits, purple shirts, wrinkled clothes, scuffed shoes. Not surprisingly they didn’t make it far in the interview process.
2.A firm handshake and eye contact are key!
No wimpy handshakes and look your interviewer in the eye throughout your interview. If you don’t focus on these two tips you won’t get the job.
3.Preparation is important!
Do your homework on the company you are meeting with. Go to their web site, Google them; look at their social media accounts. Pull up the person who is interviewing you on LinkedIn to see if you have any mutual connections or any commonalities in your background.
4.Practice!
Practice telling your story with someone you know and trust.Focus on your experience relative to the job you are interviewing for. Ask the person who you are practicing with for the feedback. This way you are prepared with relevant information for your interview.
5.Express interest!
If you are truly interested in the job let the interviewers know so and why you are interested. As you are wrapping up ask them next steps in the process. Thank them for the opportunity to sit down with them and learn more about their organization.
6.Follow up with a thank you in writing!
This will separate you from your competition, trust me. It takes 2 minutes and 32 cents to do this.
GOOD LUCK!
We would love to hear what other tips set YOU apart from your competition! Please comment below or send an email to Ed Ellsasser at:ee@primegroupins.com.
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