How to excel in an Interview – II

As I had suggested that we will move on the topic with the flow of the day so that we can take up each and every aspect as it comes by and hence we will start with the first thing for the day i.e.

Getting ready for the day! 

Have a good night sleep before the interview day

It is easier said than done but try to think about other things in order to get a good night sleep otherwise it will only add to your stress and you may even sit up in the middle of the night to revise a certain hopeless topic that you are not able to recall. You have had so many days to think and recreate your interview in mind and you cannot change anything at the last moment. You should look fresh and ready for the day.

Groom yourself for the day

Now this is very important as it gives out your first impression. Following guidelines should be taken care of which may seem obvious for many but here we need to discuss it generally for all.

•  A bad hygiene can ruin the best of the outfit. You need to look clean and fresh as you enter the interview room otherwise your interviewers may assume you sloppy and careless. Always shower the day of your interview. Even if you're busy before the interview, take the time to wash your hair and body as close to the time of the interview as you can. Not only will your skin look clean and fresh, but you'll feel better because you'll be more refreshed.
  
• Smelling nice is also a part of hygiene but here is a catch to it as you have to also avoid overwhelming your interviewers with it. It is generally recommended that men should avoid heavy cologne or aftershave or even deodorant. Just a light touch will do only when they have an issue of bad body odor. Women can wear a bit of perfume or scented lotion, but should avoid wearing anything with an overpowering smell. However, I would suggest not putting any kind of deodorant, cologne or perfume other than the soap from your shower as you will be surprised to know what strong reactions people do have for scents. They can either love them or hate them. Don’t take a chance as you might be wearing the same scent as any person of his/her dislike. Even if you put on your perfume, never put it right before the interview. Also walk into the interview with fresh breath.
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•  You also need to pay attention to your hair for the interview. The best bet is to be conservative. No matter what length or style you hair is, it is worth to spend a few bucks to get a haircut before stepping into the competitive world of interviews. You can have any kind of a hairstyle after you are selected. Your hair should be clean & dry and avoid using any excessive hair products. Women should avoid any exaggerating hairdo until you are not appearing for the position of a model. Don’t allow long or wavy hair to hide your face. Any flashy hair-clips are a complete no. Check your shoulders for dandruff especially if you are wearing any dark clothes.
  
• Your face will be the first thing employers see, so you should look professional, approachable, and fresh. Women should wear nice and subtle eye makeup and a subtle shade of lipstick to show your employers that you spend time on your appearance. Avoid wearing too much makeup. Wear just enough makeup to make a pleasant impression. Men should shave off all their facial hair and if you prefer mustache or stubble it should be neatly trimmed and not give you a shabby look.
• Your employers will notice your hands as soon as you give them that first handshake, so you should have job-ready fingernails at all times. Check under your fingernails to avoid dirt. Women should manicure their nails. They can be clear or a subtle shade of pink, but loud colors should be avoided. Let me tell you that for the job of a receptionist all these things will be especially looked upon. Men should trim their nails so they have nice, even edges.

Now what to wear for interview?

Though there are certain unwritten rules of the dress code for interviews and even the interviewers can frown upon if you break them. There is a very simple rule to follow that you should not wear anything weird, flashy or gaudy to give an impression that this event or opportunity is not important for you. You necessarily don’t have to spend a fortune to buy the appropriate outfit for the event but to invest a few bucks to get your dress ironed or get your blazer dry-cleaned. There is no specific dress code for interviews. You just need to look neat, clean, polished and professional for the event. You need to keep it simple. However there are a few suggestions you can be open to.

Men

Shoes  Hard-soled, hard-toed. The best colors are black or brown. No tennis shoes, sandals, or boots. I once heard that interviewers spend a lot of time looking at shoes! It would be a shame to go to the trouble of shaving and putting on your best black suit, only to find that the toes and heels of your shoes look scuffed and shabby. Take the time to have your shoes shined, or, if you’re in the mood, do it yourself. It will help complete the picture for a knockout first impression!

Ties    Conservative: black, brown, navy, or red. A solid color or a simple pattern is best. Avoid ties that are too wide or too narrow. No potentially distracting artsy or modern patterns. No pastels or flashy colors. No bow ties.

Suits   Matching business suits are best. If you do not have a tailored, well-fitting business suit in gray, black, navy blue, or brown, you may, as a second choice, wear pants (other than jeans) with a shirt, tie, and complementary jacket. In India suits or jackets are not much in practice due to the warm weather, hence the dress minus the jacket/blazer is fine.

Shirts   The only type of shirt that is acceptable for men at a job interview, in my opinion, is a button-down shirt with a collar. White or light blue, or a shirt with very narrow and light pinstripes is best. T-shirts and turtlenecks are too casual, and a complete no.

Jewelry   Avoid wearing more than one ring per hand. Don’t wear a pinky ring. If you happen to express your own style by wearing piercings on your lips, tongue, ears, or any other place that would be visible to the interviewer, I suggest that, just for now, you take them out. Wait until after you have the job offer and have put in a few weeks at the job. Then, you can decide whether piercings seem to be acceptable in your workplace.

Accessories  Always bring a pad of paper and a pen or pencil for taking notes. Keep your cell phone switched off as that may ring, which could send the whole meeting rather rudely off course. Even having a cell phone silent on a vibration mode, in my opinion, can distract you to not be fully focused on the interview. Interviewers expect, and should get, your full and undivided attention.

By the way, whether or not you normally wear a wristwatch, wear one to the interview. It signals that you’re conscious of time, and most interviewers want an employee who has that attribute. Finally, I suggest that if you don’t have a briefcase, bag or masculine- looking leather portfolio, buy one. There are plenty of briefcases or bags that look like real leather but are made from other materials. The same goes for portfolios. Backpacks should be avoided for the interview. Collect all the things to carry, a day before. Keep aside everything that will be needed on the day; the documents, the stationary, photographs, the address of the interview venue, concerned person’s contact number and name etc. in your bag/portfolio that you will be carrying, only a day before and it should be done in one go. Don’t keep anything for the last moment or the day. Even if you have nothing better than a copy of the news paper to put inside your portfolio. That’s OK. Carrying a briefcase or handsome portfolio will make you look 100 percent prepared to do business!

Women

Shoes  Wear covered business shoes with a medium-sized heel. Do not wear high, excessively spiky heels or boots. Black, brown, taupe, or navy is fine. Avoid flashy shoes with bright colors like red or glittery gold. No tennis shoes, open toes, or sandals.

Dresses or Suits  I strongly suggest that you wear either wear a dress or woman’s business suit. If you like, you may wear a skirt with a complementary jacket or blazer. Again, we’re going for a conservative “business” look, so hems should be only slightly above the knee and necklines should not be revealing. In the Indian context you can wear neatly fitted salwar suit but, in my opinion an Indian woman in a saree would look extremely professional. The colors of your dress are not terribly important, but try to wear solid colors or very simple patterns so the interviewer’s eyes are on your face rather than lost in the pattern of your clothing.

Jewelry   Again, it’s always better to err on the conservative side. Except for a wedding band and an engagement ring, stick to one ring per hand, one bracelet per wrist. Don’t wear dangly or multiple earrings that may be distracting to the interviewer. Remove, just for now, any additional piercings you may have on your ears or face.

Accessories Don’t forget that your purse, briefcase, or portfolio needs to look good too. Remember to check them for scratches or tears. A pad and pencil to take notes shows that you’re an attentive, interested listener.

These rules may seem stringent, but try to find ways to express your style as much as you can within these guidelines. My idea is to look different but within the specified limit or to look ahead of the crowd and not out of the crowd. I can bet you that the interviewers will remember you even after days.Be sure to wear clothes you feel comfortable in and colors that compliment your skin tones. When you can look in the mirror and say, “Okay, I’m ready!” you’ll know you’ve found a good combination of businesslike attire.

Punctuality

There is one last aspect of interview preparation that we need to discuss before moving on to the next part of this series, in which we’ll walk through the interview process step by step. It’s about punctuality. Unless you know the exact route and the amount of traffic likely to occur at the time of day your interview has been scheduled for, it’s a very good idea to make a dry run of your trip to the interview site a couple of days before your scheduled interview. Take some time a day or two before the interview to locate the best route to the building. Don’t forget to also identify the most convenient parking, and find out which entrance to the building you’ll be using. Use the number of minutes it takes you to get to the interviewer’s office on your dry run and add an extra half hour to it to allow for any unforeseen difficulties. Get to know that day’s situation of your town regarding some political or social rallies etc. to plan your commutation without any mid way surprises. Knowing exactly where you are going, how long it will take, and where to park will put you at ease and really let you know you’re completely prepared for a knockout interview!