Grooming
-
It’s best to be dressed safely in business suite – even if you are told that the customer has a casual work environment. You may skip the tie if you like. But a jacket and formal trousers are must. You can always take out the jacket if you want to and put it on the chair.
-
Make sure your shoes are clean. The shoe color must match your belt.
-
Color: Make sure the colors of your clothes are in harmony with each other. Get advice from a friend before you try out any new color combination. Safe choices: Stick with navy blue or charcoal grey suites. Avoid suites/jackets of any other color like brown or black or cream. Choose black shoes and black socks with black leather belt.
-
Avoid any body odor: Take a shower, brush your teeth AND tongue (and then do not eat or drink before the interview), use a freshly washed shirt, use deodorant, do not use strong perfume or hair oils.
-
Must shave before interview.
-
When you shake hands you must look the person in the eye.
Essentials
-
Be on time
-
Ensure that you have all the essentials – location of interview, phone number of the interviewer, business cards, notebook, pen, laptop, resume printouts.
Pay attention to the receptionist
-
Ask her how she is doing and how her day is going.
-
ideally you should call her a day in advance to confirm the interview – make sure you note down her name when she announces it on the phone.
Sit down in a relaxed setting
-
If you have a choice of two chairs do not sit in the chair directly facing the interviewer. Sit at an angle.
-
Pull out your chair a bit if necessary, so you and the interviewer don’t sit in a straight line. This way you make the setting to be informal instead of being an interrogation room like setting.
