Believe it or not, your look and appearance during your interview really matters…
You don’t need to have the face of David Gandy or the body of David Beckham, but we do ask you to look presentable and slightly more attractive than you already are in your normal days. As important as your appearance is what you bring with you to the interviews. These will boost your confidence and let you perform and excel.
PACK AND DRESS ACCORDINGLY
17. Plan the interview outfit. You may have a creative mind and your personal style when it comes to fashion, but for your first interview, it is not a wise idea to dress too flashy. Simple and conservative is the way to go. Not sure what to wear? If you have a contact or friend who works at the company you’re interviewing with, see if he or she can give you a heads up as to what people wear. If you don’t have that luxury, hang out at a coffee shop across the street a day or two before, and try to get a glimpse at what people are wearing.
18. Get your outfit cleaned, pressed, and tailored (go for the modern fit). Don’t try to wear the shirt that has been sitting at the very bottom or your drawer for the past year.
19. Little things matters: Shine your shoes, check for loose hems, and make sure your fingernails look manicured. This is the stuff that you don’t always think people notice, but they do!
20. Do a little pampering, because looking your best helps you feel your best. If that means you need a facial, haircut, razor shave, or even a new interview outfit, then by all means do it! Feeling good about yourself will boost your confidence—and we probably don’t have to tell you that confidence is key to landing your dream job.
21. Even though you have already submitted your resume to the recruiters online, and they most likely will have a hard copy in hand during your interview, still make sure to print out five copies of your resume to bring with you. You never know who you’ll be meeting with, and you want to have your resume ready to go in case you’re asked for it.
22. Although you may not be asked for reference, still prepare a reference list. For each reference, include a name, title, organization, division or department, telephone number, and email address, as well as a sentence briefly explaining the relationship (e.g., “Carlton was my team leader for two years, during which we collaborated on four major product launches”).
23. If you are the super-organized kind just like me, prep a go-to interview kit for your purse or briefcase. It should be large enough to hold your everyday essentials, plus your interview musts, such as extra resumes and a notepad, as well as a special emergency kit stocked with what you might need in an unexpected situation (think: Band-Aids, a stain stick, an umbrella, and breath mints).
24. Clean out your bag! If you have to dig past candy wrappers, phone chargers, and old receipts to get that resume, you’re going to look a little unorganized. Everything you
