Do’s and Don’t in an Interview.

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The following is list of suggestions for proper preparation for, and decorum during, the employment interview. These tips should be well-heeded, as many of them deal with aspects of planning and appearance that can have a significant effect on your presentation, and very possibly, your chances of being hired.

• Always collect as much information as possible about the company and position before the interview.         

• Get plenty of sleep the night before the interview so that you will feel fresh and alert.

• Eat a hearty breakfast so that you will feel satisfied and have plenty of reserve energy on which to draw as you need it.  But don’t overeat, since this could cause you to feel drowsy and listless.

• Be punctual. You should plan your time so that you arrive at least 5 to 10 minutes ahead of time. A last  minute arrival will cause you to be tense and uneasy. You will want to feel relaxed and confident as you enter the interview.

• Dress properly. Be sure your clothes are clean and neatly pressed. Shoes should be well shined. Avoid wearing outlandish styles or colors. Dress appropriately for the position and organization with which  you will be interviewing. In most cases, for men, a dark blue or grey business suit with white shirt and   an appropriately colored tie will serve you well. For women, the choice is much broader, but should      be guided by conservative colors and good taste

• Pay attention to personal hygiene and grooming. Hair (including mustaches and beards) should be      neatly trimmed and combed. Hands and fingernails should be clean. Perfume and cologne should be      used with moderation and should not overpower the interviewer.  

Different Possible Ways to Find a Job

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• Mailing out resumes.
• Answering local "want-ads" (in newspapers).
• Going to the state/federal unemployment service.
• Going to private employment agencies.
• Using the internet, either to post your resume or to look for employers' "job-postings," on the employer's own website or elsewhere (Indeed, Career Builder, Yahoo/Hot Jobs, Jobstreet, etc., etc.).
• Asking friends, family, or people in the community for job leads.
• Asking former professor or teacher for job-leads, or career / alumni services at schools that you attended.
• Knocking on doors: of any employer, factory or office that interests you, whether they are known to have a vacancy or not.
• Using the phone book's yellow pages, to identify subjects, fields, or interests that you have - that are located in the city or town where you are or you want to be.
• Joining or forming a "job club."
• Doing a thorough self-inventory of the transferable skills and interests that you most enjoy, so that you can define in stunning detail exactly the job (s) you would most like to have.
• Going to places where employers pick up workers: well-known street corners in your town, or union halls, etc.
• Taking a civil service exam.
• Looking at professional journals in your profession or field, and answering ads there.
• Going to temp agencies (agencies that get you short-term temporary work in places that need your skills, short-term) and letting them place you, again and again, until some place says, "Could you stay on permanently?"
• Volunteering to work for free, short-term, at a place interests you, whether or not they have a known vacancy.

Source:  What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles

Most Common Reasons Job Applicants Aren't Hired

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• Too many jobs.  Employers are suspicious of changes without career advancement.
• Reluctance of applicant or spouse to relocate if necessary.
• Wrong personality for the employer.
• Unrealistic salary requirements.
• Inadequate background.
• Poor employment record.
• Unresponsive, uninterested or unprepared during the interview.
• Negotiations handled improperly.
• Little apparent growth potential.
• Long periond of unemployment.
• Judged to be an ineffective supervisor.

Source: National Personnel Associates

How to Get Others to Support Your Position?

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• Give them your cooperation and support first.
• Be ready to accept blame when you are wrong.
• Use witnesses and objective outsiders to prove your points.
• Ask for their ideas on how to get the job done.
• Be a buffer between those whose support you need and others who might threaten them.
• Say, "I need you."

Source:  James k. Van Fleet, author of Lifetime Conversation Guide