In light of the pandemic, many people have found themselves back in the job market. Many have not been on an interview in years. As the economy starts to recover, there are more job opportunities and a large candidate pool, making it crucial that people know how to interview.

• First, before the interview, you need to prepare. This means reviewing and understanding the job description and responsibilities. Also, you need to research the company. Things to look for are:

• company history

• vision, mission

• accomplishments

• services

Visit sites like glassdoor.com to see what previous employees have to say about their experiences with the company. Prior to your interview, draft a list of questions that you want to have answered. Make sure the questions are not about benefits or salary. You should not talk about either of these, until the company initiates the conversation.

On the day of the interview, dress for success! This means, wear nice work attire. For higher level management positions and above, you should wear a suit. You can wear a suit for positions that are not in management, but it is also ok to dress in business casual attire. It is not ok to wear jeans, tee shirts, shorts or anything with holes. In this day in age, you may end up interviewing virtually. You still need to dress up, at least from the waist up. Arrive early. You always want to be 5-10 minutes early for an interview. Turn off your phone or put it on silent. Come prepared, by bringing a pad of paper and pen, copies of your resume and your list of questions.

During the interview, it is as important to sell yourself, as it is for the company to be selling themselves. You want to make sure that you feel like you would be a good fit for the position and company. You will want to be able to talk about your experience, background, skills, education and what you can bring to the position and company. Make sure you can cite real life examples.

Don’t talk about:

• Negative experiences at a previous job

• A bad previous boss

• Salary, vacation, benefits

• Say that you do not have any questions

• Answer with “I don’t know”. You can take pause and think about an answer, but do not say you do not know

• Use bad or unprofessional language

• As what the company does

Talk about:

• Being Motivated

• Problem Solving

• Leadership

• Organization

• Working well with others

• How your skills with be a benefit to the company and role

• Past accomplishments

• How you are always looking to learn

• How you are looking to get into a company where you can build a career

Making a good impression is as much about being able to answer questions as it is about body language. Sit up straight, smile, be conversational, friendly and make eye contact. I will never forget about an interview that I had with a woman who on paper seemed very qualified. However, the interview was really awkward as every time she answered a question, she was looking at the floor.

After the interview, send a thank you email or letter and express your interest. This can set you apart from your competition.

Remember, overall, be yourself and have confidence. Good luck!