Bring yourself up-to-date on the industry and
company/organization you'll be seeing by doing your
research at your local library. You'll find that the
staff in your local library will be quite pleased to
help you track down information in trade magazines,
newspaper articles, press releases, financial
statements and business directories. The minimum
requirement for research is that you have checked
the Internet for the organization's web site. At
most libraries you can sign up for free Internet
time using their computers. Remember to research the
company's competitors too.
In
addition to using the library, use your contacts to
uncover some first hand information about the
business. Find out something about the company's
history, its product or service, size, locations,
expansion plans and charitable works. It pays to ask
around. You may have a friend who knows someone who
has worked there. You can also check out the
company's product or services by talking to people
who have used them.
Practice Talking About Yourself
Review your résumé. Practice your answers to common
interview questions. (See lists on pages 7 and 13.)
Listen to yourself on tape, or even get creative and
videotape yourself to hear how you sound, see how
you look and evaluate how appropriate your answers
are.
Dress for the
Interview
Appearance counts.
This includes your clothing, haircut and grooming.
Dress conservatively in clothing that fits well.
Clothing should be recently cleaned and pressed.
Limit, or even eliminate, perfume or after-shave. If
you need to shop for the right outfit, consider it a
worthwhile investment in your future. The general
rule is to dress 'one step up' from what you would
wear to work if you got this job.
Attire For Men
For office work this
usually means a jacket and tie with a white or pale
blue shirt. A navy or grey suit might be preferable
depending on the kind of work and the formality of
the office. Express your personality through your
choice of tie, but avoid cartoon motifs and anything
else that might be distracting. Shoes must be
well-shined. Socks should be a mid-calf length and
dark.
If
you are applying for a service-oriented job, you can
consider wearing pressed, casual pants with a dress
shirt or golf shirt, as appropriate.
Attire For Women
In order to project a
professional image, you'll want to avoid outfits
that you might normally wear to a party or wedding.
For office work, a jacket and skirt combination
works well, although pantsuits are also acceptable.
Keep skirt lengths within reasonable limits, usually
knee length. Beware of large patterns that can be
distracting. Shoes should be closed-toe with a
medium heel. Flats are acceptable. Pantyhose are
necessary for a polished look, even in hot weather.
Jewelry adds a finishing touch to your appearance.
Avoid wearing dangling earrings or too many rings.
Plain, short nails are fine; chipped polish is not.
A co-ordinated look is more important than a current
fashion colour. Keep your hair off your face and
under control. Make-up can be helpful, but don't
overdo it. Lipstick contributes to a more energetic
look.
Although many of the same principles apply for
service-oriented work, you can simply wear a shirt
with a collar and pants as an appropriate outfit.
The
Question of Salary
Even
though you may be tempted, do not bring up the
subject of salary, benefits or vacation time in an
interview, especially in a first interview. Since it
makes you look more interested in the compensation
than the job, asking these questions makes a very
poor impression. The time and place for this
discussion is when the interviewer raises it or when
you are being offered the job. See pages 19-21 for
more information on handling salary negotiations.
