Friday, September 16, 2011

Tips for a Successful Interview

Hi!  My name is Lindsay Hart and I am an business education teacher for a small middle school.  This is my fifth year teaching.  Currently I am pursuing a masters degree in business education.  One of the classes I am taking is ABED 6107, Instructional Strategies for Technology, taught by Dr. Sunil Hazari.  For this class, I am required to create a blog about a business education topic.  I have chosen to blog about business etiquette.  I feel this subject is very important for acquiring and keeping the job you want. 


When we are little, we all imagine of growing up and landing our dream job.  Many of us succeed in doing this.  However, in order to land our dream job, we must first go through an interview process.  Interviews can make us all very nervous, especially if it's our first one.  For this reason, I have devised a list of tips to help improve your interview outcome and make sure that you are following all of the business etiquette rules.



1.  Make sure you are on time.  Punctuality shows responsibility, consideration, strong work ethic, and organization skills. Being late tells the interviewer you are disorganized, a procrastinator, not dependable, or maybe lazy.

2.  Turn off all electronics.  This includes your cell phone!  You want to give your interviewer your undivided attention.  This lets them know that you are serious about the interview and the possible position.

3.  Extend a firm handshake.  Nobody likes a limp handshake!  Try practicing your handshake with friends or family to make sure you are ready.

4.  Stand up straight, shoulders back, and your head up!  Always have good posture.  Good posture portrays confidence, intelligence, and energy.  When you slouch, it sends the message that you are lazy, tired, and maybe depressed. These qualities will not help you in the job market.

5.  After the interview, it is imperative that you send a thank you letter.  Thank the interviewer for their time and tell them you hope to hear from them soon.

Extend a firm handshake.



If your interview is during a meal, be sure to use those table manners your folks taught you!  Elbows off the table, don't smack your food, and never tuck your napkin into your shirt; put your napkin in your lap.  The interviewer may have asked you to interview during a meal to see how you behave in public and to observe your table manners.  Some jobs require you to entertain clients, attend conventions, and go to parties.  Your possible future boss will want to make sure you can handle yourself in these situations.

Hope these little interview etiquette tips can help you on your future job interviews!  Good luck!