Hey! Have you got an important interview soon? Thinking about what to do and not do so that you put a great impression on your interviewers, and secure that job/admission? Look no further! We understand the value of leaving a good impression on those who are going to decide whether you make it or not, that’s why we have compiled a list of important interviews Do’s and Don’ts which will definitely help you make a positive and lasting impression!.
Interviews are high pressure scenarios for people, and while given how important the situation is, we need to make sure that we put our best self forward. Interview Etiquette teaches us just that. It guides us how to train our bodies, our behavior, our stance, etc to our best advantage. Nothing goes unnoticed in the interviews, even the smallest of the things you might do! Below we give you a list of 5 Do’s that you should follow every time you sit for an interview:
The FIVE Interview Must-Dos
1. Make a great entrance
One of the very first impression that you make on your interviewing panel is how you enter a room and it holds much more importance than you think it does! According to Interview Etiquettes, when you enter the room, you should always knock on the door thrice, and seek permission to enter like, “May I come in?”. This may seem like an unnecessary step, but it is an important one. Your interviewers might be busy with their work, and would want you to knock on the door, which alerts them about your presence. This is a sign of how mannered and sensible you are, and is sure to get you a brownie point! Other than this you should also greet every single person in the interviewing panel and also ask permission before you sit.
2. Have a firm handshake
When you shake someones’s hand during an interview, you want to make sure that you do so in a professional manner. A handshake can make or break the deal, and if you want to make sure that you impress people with your handshake, follow the given tips:
- You should extend your arm and take the person’s hand in a firm grip, curling your fingers around their hand.
- There should be no movement through the shoulder, but through the elbow.
- You should shake it three times, i.e three reps.
- You should never have an overpowering, or a weak handshake.
Pro Tip: If you want to practice having a good handshake, you can also follow this useful video!
3. Look everyone in the eye with a gentle smile
Sometimes there might be a single person who will take your interview, but sometimes there might be a panel of interviewers. In such a case, it is important to have eye contact with everyone, even if you are not talking to them at the moment! Eye contact shows that we acknowledge the presence of a person and are giving them importance. Last thing an interviewer would want to encounter is you not looking at them! Eye contact is important to build trust and make everyone feel included and a part of the process. Along with this, you should also make sure that you keep a gentle and pleasant smile on your face. It keeps everyone in good spirits!
4. Have a control over body and tone of voice
Having good body language not only gives you confidence but it also shows the interviewing authority how you have your body in control even in such stressful situations, which is an impressive trait! You should keep the follow things in mind:
- You should sit straight, i.e your back should be straight and not slouched on the chair.
- You should keep your hands on your lap, and not on the table or the arm of the chair.
- You should not fidget, but be calm.
- Your tone of voice should be audible, and confident sounding. You should not have an overly high or low pitch.
- Your words should be spoken clearly, so as to be understood by all.
5. Dress-up for the occasion
How you heard of the saying, “First impression is the last impression.” Well we could not agree more to that! How you go dressed to an interview can also govern the decision of your interviewers regarding you. It is always better to dress the part for the occasion than to go underdressed. You should always opt for official wear, rather than casual wear for the interview. Afterall, smartly dressed people always leave a positive impact on others.
The FIVE Interview Must-Not’s
1. Keep your mobile on ringer
This is a no-brainer, but an absolutely important point that you should never miss out on. Interviewers take out time from their busy lives to give a chance for you to interact with them. Having your mobile phones on ringer, not only disrupts the flow of conversation and the interview process, but also shows how rude and disrespectful you are towards the others. This is something that should be taken care of. A loudly ringing mobile phone is the last thing that you would want your interviewing authority to remember about you! So, keep your mobile phones on silent mode before you enter the room.
2. Be disrespectful
There are a lot of things that you can do that can leave a bitter impression of you on others, and one of such things is to be disrespectful to your interviewers. Some things to avoid during an interview are as follows:
- Being late to the interview. Always make sure to reach 15 mins prior to the venue of the interview.
- Not greeting everyone in the room with respect and sitting without asking for permission.
- Addressing people with their name, and not using “Ms. or Mr.”, or even “Ma’am or Sir”
- Ignoring people by not making eye contact or not answering someone’s questions.
- Being loud and starting a disagreement or fight. If you disagree with someone’s view, you can politely say that you do not share the same view as them.
3. Get stuck on a point
Interviews are a good method of assessing how you tackle questions that you might not have an answer to. If you get stuck on any point or answer, and need more time to think about it then just take the help of water! Yes, you read that right! Stammering or getting stuck on something and doing the infamous “hmm, umm, uh”s does not look good to the person on the other side of the table and should be avoided. What can be done instead of that is reaching for the glass of water in front of you! When you excuse yourself and drink water, it gives your brain some time to think about the replies to the question that is asked of you.
4. Keep talking endlessly
Interviews are high pressure situations where it is normal to feel overwhelmed by the circumstances and have an uncontrollable urge to justify each and every thing that is asked of you more than is actually needed. Blabbering and speaking continuously should be avoided, as it shows a sign of nervousness and stress. Instead of speaking endlessly, try to take a break in the middle, think your points through and give a structure to your thoughts. Unstructured thoughts do not give a good impression to people. So, avoid trying to talk continuously, rather always think your thoughts and carefully choose your words before you utter them.
5. Cut someone off while they are speaking
One of the biggest faux pas that needs to be avoided during the interview is to cut people off while they are speaking to put your own views forth. Not only is this highly disrespectful, but also a very ill-mannered and undesirable trait. Always wait for the person to complete their sentences, and not halt them midway, as it ruins their chain of thoughts. Wait patiently for your turn and gently nod your head while listening to someone’s views.
How you present yourselves during interviews is something so important that the more you improve yourselves, the better luck you will have while clearing them. We hope that you embrace these tips the next time you sit for an interview. All the best!
