Interview, Interview, Interview!

By: Michael Rocha

I love setting up interviews with my candidates, it is one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. With every candidate I send on an interview, I will give that candidate interview tips. However, my tips can only go so far. In addition to my normal tips which are posted on our website, here are more tips for the perfect interview!

1. Go to bed early. If you go into the interview with little sleep, then you will not be able to give your best performance. This means you go to bed early, even if your interview isn’t until 4:00 in the afternoon. You have to have energy. DO NOT substitute RedBull for sleep, ever. RedBull gives you energy so quickly, you become jittery and nervous.

2. Eat right the day of your interview, and before. This is your big day, and eating the right foods will help you be more alert and increase your stamina. For example, who would have more energy and stamina, a person who had a Big Mac with a large Coke or a person who had chicken and vegetables? This means, have some scrambled eggs and OJ in the morning and eat a healthy lunch so you can have a great interview! You don’t see Tiger Woods eating fast food before he does his job.

3. Be prepared. If your interview is in the morning, then the night before have your suit laid out and pressed. Go a step further, put out your socks, shoes, tie, tooth brush, mouth wash, resumes, pens, portfolio/briefcase, directions, and any accessories you may need out. Make sure you have gas in your car too! This way there is no rush with no surprises, so now you have time to have a healthy breakfast.

4. If your interview is in the MORNING follow these steps! Wake up early. Eat a healthy breakfast. Jump in the shower. Before putting on your interview clothes you should shave/makeup, brush your teeth, and other hygiene needs. Put on your interview clothes and you are on your way. You can bring water with you and that is it. NO coffee, no cigarettes, no colored drinks, no gum, no getting gas, and NO FOOD after you put on your suit. Once you put on that suit, you can have water and that is it. If you have a cigarette, then say bye to that job for obvious reasons. I have had clients call and tell me my candidates smell like an ashtray. Then, I will ask my candidates if they smoked before then interview and I get, yes I smoked, but I covered it up! It doesn’t work so don’t do it.

These are a little extreme, but how bad do you want that job? I have more extreme interview tips so keep posted!