Interview Etiquette: the Key to a Job Offer

Undoubtedly, the job interview is the most important step in getting a job offer. Job skills and education alone are not enough to get you a job. There will be many candidates who are just as qualified as you for hiring companies to choose from. How you fit in with the company culture and employees will be a big deciding factor in whether or not you get the job offer.

Demonstrating good manners in the interview process will ensure you receive the consideration you deserve for the job. No matter how polite you think you are, it doesn't hurt to go over a few basic rules of interview etiquette.

Be On Time

It is imperative that you are on time to your job interview. This is the most important first impression you can make and if you are late, it speaks volumes about you. First, it implies you don't value the time of those you are meeting with. Second, in indicates you are not taking the opportunity seriously, which would make potential employers would rightly assume you would also not take the job seriously.

There are no exceptions to this rule. Make every effort to be on time. Plan to arrive 30 minutes early to your interview. This way, if unexpected traffic delays arise, you have a little extra time to spare. Consider driving to the interview location ahead of time so that you are confident with the directions, traffic patterns and parking restrictions.

Use Names

Introduce yourself by name and make an effort to remember the names of those you meet, including the person who greets you. Write the names down if you must, but there are several tricks you can use to remember names of people you meet. When someone introduces themselves, use their name right away by saying something like, "Nice to meet you Jane." You can also use word association to link a person's name to another word or name. If "Jane" is the name of the first person you meet and she has a nice smile, you could think "Jolly Jane". Finally, you can use the trick which helped Franklin Roosevelt become a master at remembering names: picture the person's name written on their foreheads.

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