The day before or morning of your interview take time to print off two copies of your resume, one for the interviewer in case they can’t find yours right away and one for yourself to follow along and point things out on. It’s extremely important to know what your resume says and where everything is. The last thing you want is for your interviewer to mention that they say something on your resume and you can’t find where it is quickly enough. It is your resume and you should know it like the back of your hand.

Another important part to prepare for your job interview is to review the job title, description, and current information regarding your field. By doing so, you will be able to incorporate qualities about yourself that tie directly back to the job description during your interview.  You will also be able to demonstrate your knowledge and aptitude for your field by knowing up-to-date news. Knowing this information will boost your self-esteem and will transfer as confidence to the interviewer, which is always a positive trait in the professional world.

Finally, it’s important to allocate about 30 minutes of extra travel time than is necessary. You should always arrive at the location of your interview about 15-20 minutes before your interview time to give yourself time for parking, checking in, finding the room, etc. However, giving yourself an extra 30 minutes will all for any traffic accidents that might slow you down and/or for traffic in general. Worst case scenario is that you didn’t need the extra 30 minutes and you’ll have 30 extra minutes to go over materials that will prep you for your interview, such as your resume and/or newspaper.

The main thing to remember is to remain cool, calm and collected. With the right preparation your interview will go as smooth as you could hope. Follow these simple tips and you’ll do great. Good luck on your interview.

Instead of coffee the morning of the interview, try having an apple which contains the same amount of caffeine as one cup of coffee and provides energy that is longer-lasting. Without as much sugar as coffee, the apple will not cause you to crash a few hours after consumption. Also, try to avoid coffee which will increase stomach acid, more so than orange juice, and might increase the chances of abdominal pain when compounded with stress.

If your job interview is after lunch, have one of the above mentioned or similar style breakfast meals and for lunch create a meal combining a few of the following foods that promote active brain functioning:

• Protein provides amino acids to the brain which help neurotransmitters send messages in your body:

• White meat poultry
• Eggs
• Beans

• Low Glycemic index foods do not increase insulin secretion so blood sugar levels remain steady to avoid the sugar crash:
  • Fruits (grapefruit, apples, cherries, oranges, and grapes)
  • Vegetables and legumes (soybeans, kidney beans, chick peas, and lentils)
  • Dairy products (milk and yogurt)

If your job interview is in the morning, a well-balanced breakfast will help give you the burst of energy required. You might think a hearty breakfast would provide you with stamina for your interview; however, it could actually have the opposite effect.

A hearty meal will require more energy from your body for digestion which will leave less energy for you to function at full capacity. You don’t want to be drowsy and yawning during your interview! The best approach would be to have one of the following options:

• Whole grain bagel with low-fat cream cheese with orange juice
• Peanut butter and banana on an English muffin.
• Granola/cereal, yogurt and an apple
• Scrambled eggs, toast and orange juice

Eating the right foods before a job interview could have a serious impact on your performance at the interview. Take your time in choosing and preparing meals the day of your interview to ensure that you eat foods that provide maximum brain power.

1. Be on time. Sure, it’s understandable that life can often get in the way. Realistically, though, an employer is going to be immediately turned off by an applicant who can’t be bothered to show up when they’re scheduled. You may have had a horrible morning – the interviewer doesn’t want to hear it and doesn’t care. They have their own jobs to do, and your tardiness likely sets them behind schedule. So, leave extra early and wait in the parking lot if you have to, but make sure to arrive five to ten minutes before your interview is scheduled to start.
2. Come prepared. Although most employers will have your resume and sometimes even your references printed out from your application, it never hurts to bring extra copies. Also make sure to have any other paperwork or documentation they have asked for or that logic dictates you may need. They’ll be impressed that you’re thinking ahead.
3. Know about the company and job you’re interviewing for. Researching a job and a company ahead of time tells the employer that you were interested in their position, not just any position. It can also help you be better prepared for the questions that they might ask during the interview.
4. Don’t ask about money! While we all realize that money is obviously a key factor in whether or not a job is for you, it’s downright tacky to bring it up yourself. Either let them introduce the topic of payment or assume that it’s something that can be shared during a later interview.
5. Keep it friendly, but professional. Have a good attitude, make eye contact, and laugh at their jokes, but don’t go off on long winded personal tangents that have nothing to do with the position. Make sure the conversation stays focused on the position, the company, and how you fit their needs.

These five simple steps are a great building block for a fabulous first impression. Know them, live them, and you’ll be surprised at the opportunities coming your way.

Before The Interview

Create a plan about how you want to approach the issue of your felony. One important decision is whether to volunteer the information on your own, or wait until asked by the employer. It is probably better to volunteer the information, because it shows confidence, honesty, and lets you control the message more and put a positive spin on things.

In addition to planning your approach to the felony question, practice talking about it as much as you can. Ask friends to talk to play the role of interviewer and ask tough questions about your past. You will become more comfortable with each one. Also, research the employer and the industry of the job, and be able to show that you know and care about the field.

During The Interview

Take care to not give any physical red flags that might combine with your felony. Dress as well as you can, and groom yourself as clean-cut as possible. When speaking to the interviewer, especially when discussing your felony, maintain strong eye contact along with a confident attitude and body language.

Bring the conversation to points that show responsibility. When talking about your felony, include any jobs you maintained in prison or courses and other reading you completed. Mention volunteer work you might have recently done. Also, explain how hiring a felon can help the employer with things like the Federal Bonding program that insures the employer, and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.

After The Interview

For felons, it is especially important to follow up within a few days after the interview. A quick thank you message the same day is effective, but also follow up after a few days by mail, email, or phone to check the status of your application.

These follow ups show a responsible person who is ready for honest work. With attention to certain details like this, the interviewer will get the message that you plan ahead and follow through on things, and those are characteristics any employer wants.

Try some of these methods to get interview experiences under your belt.

• Get Help From An Agency. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has established WorkOne centers in all counties throughout the state. They offer various services to job seekers, including interview coaching. Set up an appointment and treat the visit like a real job interview.
• Find Your School’s Career Center. If you attended college or a technical school, there are often career services offered to graduates. Explain that you have been unable to find work with their degree and ask to meet with a counselor. You can discuss your search, and many counselors will be glad to do a mock interview for you.
• Ask a Friend To Interview You. This is particularly helpful if the friend or family member is working in the field you want a job in. Remember to keep it professional and stay in your roles as interviewer and applicant. Dress as you would for a real interview, and schedule it in an unfamiliar setting if possible.

To nail an interview, you need to be relaxed. To be relaxed, you need practice. A slow job search can get you out of practice, and that is when you need to make your own practice. These are some ideas to get you started, but feel free to share any other ways you use to get interview practice by leaving a comment below.

With so many others applying for the same job as you, how do you make yourself stand out in the interview, that you are the candidate that gets the callback?

The following tips will help you to cinch that all-important interview:

• Be prompt and have a firm handshake

When the hiring decision come down to two equally qualified candidates, a decision will be based on the little things, a firm hand shake, being prompt, a professional attitude.

• Dress for the interview

While a manufacturing interview does not require a suit, do dress to impress. Dress pants or khakis, a button down shirt tucked in and a belt. The assumption is that if you look neat and tidy, your work will also be neat and tidy.

• Be specific about your experience and what skills you have.

This is very important, especially in manufacturing. In manufacturing, experience is key. If you have experience for the exact job they are hiring for, that is good, but if you have a variety of experience, but less specific, you may still be a more valuable employee.

• Be enthusiastic and ask questions

Show them that you are truly interested in working for their company. Prepare some questions to ask, directly related to manufacturing, such as; “do you use lean manufacturing techniques?” or, “What is your safety record?” Remember to thank them for the interview.

Remember interviewers see numerous people with similar experience. Machine operators and assembly people are plentiful, so the decision on who to hire usually comes down to the details, which put some effort into the interview. The interview is your time to show them you are prepared, professional and that you are the employee that will go the extra mile.

Dressing for Job Interview Success

Does it really make a big difference how you dress up for a job interview? In almost all cases, it does. Dressing for job interview success – this is perhaps one of the most overused job-hunting phrases, but this is also one of the most ignored by many job seekers. In hunting for a job, first impressions really matter.

Keep in mind that in job hunting, you are marketing yourself as a product to your customer, your potential employer, and believe it or not, the first thing that the employer or the interviewer sees when you greet him or her is your attire; therefore, you must exert extra effort to have appear in the interview in the attire most appropriate for the job you are applying for. Now you might ask if dressing properly and appropriately would get you the job. Definitely not, but dressing the right way will surely give the competitive edge.

Will you be judged by your interviewer by what you wear on the interview? Perhaps not; however, the reality is you are actually judged. Throughout the process of seeking for a job, most employers like to shorten the process – it’s either rules of thumb or heuristics but almost all of them have one common thing in mind – save their time!

What’s this shortened process? Well, they simply look at the opening paragraph of the cover letters and give your qualification a quick scan. The same thing is done with resumes. They simply give the applicant’s accomplishments a quick scan and with the job interview, it is how the interviewee dressed that actually sets the overall tone and mood of the interviewer to proceed to the interview process.

A woman, interviewing for an Administrative Assistant position, answers the common interview question: What is your ideal job? This is an example of an GOOD way to answer this question.

Created by Fresno, California’s most respected Recruiting, Staffing and Human Resources consulting firm — Denham Resources.

However, maybe you don’t know how to do it or you are afraid you might make a mistake in the follow up process. Worry not because this article will give you advice for successful interview follow up.

After the Interview?

First advice for interview follow up is to do it right after either a phone or in-person interview. You should not forget to send a personal thank you letter either through FAX or email to your interviewer.

It’s a good idea to consider sending thank you note cards stating your appreciation for the time given to you and then this should be followed by a message saying you look forward to having a second interview with the person or getting the job offer.

When making a follow up, make sure to reiterate how much interested you are in the company and in the job and tell them things that would link your relevant skills. Do not forget to proofread your follow up letter to make sure it is free of mistakes.

Always remember, following up will take you one step higher from the interview stage you are in right now!