You've just recieved this call or email:

Thank you for sending in your CV/Resume. We were delieghted with your skills and experience and would like to invite you in for a job interivew to get to know you a bit better.

Would you be available on...

Wow, you have just been invited to a job interview! This is amazing! Don't get your hopes up just yet, you still have to pass the gauntlet of getting pass the first interview.

Depending on the type of job you are about to be interviewed for there may be a number of interviews and due dilligence before you are actually offered the positon. For the sake of simplicity we are going to pretend that you have been offered to interview for an entry level white collar position and you are a recent graduate.

We are going to discuss what you should do before the interview, during the interview, and after the interview.

Ever seen Heat?  Ever Seen Ocean's 11?  What made those robbers smarter than the idiots that just go in shooting?  The planned for the first 90 minutes of the movie and executed for just 15 minutes.

That is what you need to consider your job interview as, one big heist.  You are stealing this position from the other 3 graduate with the same skills and abilities as you, so you need to go above and beyond them to make sure that you get the job.

Preperation:

1.  Names:Do you know the name of the person who is interviewing you?  You don't show up to a fortune 500 company and say you are there for an interview with no idea who is supposed to be interviewing you.  The person that is interviewing you is your best friend and worst enemey, it is your choice which one.  If the name is hard to pronounce when you get to reception ask the damned receptionist how to say the name.
2. Address: In these days of satelite navigation and google Maps it is very easy to say you will be able to find the place no problem.  That is okay if you are going to hang out with friends or meeting your parents for dinner.  But this is a job interview damn it, if you are late your impression is in the pooper straight away.  Some companies have different ways of handling late comers, some would just mark it against you, others will refuse to even interview you if you are late.  If you have the address make sure you find out where the building is the day of the interview.  Calculate how long it will take you to walk/drive/bus it there and leave an extra 10 minutes early.  If you are driving make sure that you know where to park rather than circle the building all day long.  Obvious in nature but one of the little things very few people forget.
3. Appearance:  If you are going to interview for a professional company for a professional position.  LOOK THE PART! Tuck in your shirt.  Button all your buttons and make sure your tie is all the way up and tight.  When you get there you may find that people come casual or don't wear ties, that is okay you can do that too if you get the job, but better to be over prepared than under.  Don't forget to shave and get rid of the GUM!  No hats, and make sure you get enough sleep, bloodshot eyes are not what potential employers are looking for.  For girls try to keep it business dress, no skirts above the knee.  No one wants to see your tramp stamp or your g-string, cleavage is nice in a bar, but distracting at work.  earrings and rings are cool if you have one or two but freakey if you have more.  You want to dress like Rachel, not Phoebe.
4. Timing: As I said when you get the adress be there at least 10 minutes early.  This way if you have to go to the bathroom or get a cup of tea you can do it before the interview rather than after.  It will also give you the advantage of getting to know a bit about the company you are going to interview for, speak to the receptionist, see how she answers the phone and speaks to customers and you can learn alot about the company and their policies.
5. Research:  Companies are impressed when you know what they do, or what they stand for.  The larger the company the easier it is to find out about them, if it is big make sure you know the name of the director/owner, find out what the company does and make sure you know who their competitors are.  If you can find out who their suppliers are this also helps during the job interview.  Do you know what IBM stands for?  International Business Machines.  And they do ask that question at interviews.
   

Okay, you are now a step ahead of the competition.  But if they are smart they are also reading this and will probably already do most of this stuff anyway.

The next part is what will make sure you get this job or end up collecting food stamps and unemployment whilst wondering why majoring in philisophy not only never got you laid but isnt letting you get a job either.

Okay you've made it past the receptionist without looking like an idiot and sitting with the interviewer now. Great jobs almost mine! No More Ramen noodle for me.

Depending on the way the company is structured you may either be meeting with and HR rep or the person you will be working directly under.

If it is the HR rep they are probably just going to go through your resume/cv degrees and qualifications. Make sure you are who you say you are and can actually do what you say you can. It also means a 2nd interview.

If you are itnerviewing with your direct supervisor this is usually a good thing. No second interviews and they usually take who they want not who HR says. As long as your not an illegal HR can't really say no to their decision.

Follow these simple steps and you should be okay;

1. Firm Handshake: Do not hug on an interview or try to kiss a cheek, this is not Europe and you are not Bruno. A firm handshake shows that you are assertive and strong. A weak one shows you are submissive and just a big girl.
2. Sit up straight: Do not slouch during a interview. It shows you being lazy and not interested.
3. Legs: Some people have crazy legs that need to move a certain amount of times every minute. Please try to control your legs during the meeting and keep them still. Do not cross them.
4. Mobiles/Cell Phones: It's great that you get calls every 5 minutes from your friends and family. In a job interview this is dis-respectful and unprofessional. Do not do it, turn it off, I don't even want to hear the damn thing vibrate when you are being interviewed. It should be off.
5. Maintain eye contact: Look the interviewer in the eye, do not look behind him/her or in the corner of the room, they want to see your eyes as it shows you are telling the truth and can maintain a conversation.
6. KISS: Keep it simple stupid. If I ask what you like do on your free time, tell me you like to read books, do not tell me the whole story of what happens in the Lord of the Rings.
7. Elaborate: Yes/No Answers are not what they are looking for explain everything concisely and quickly but make your point. If they ask you a question they want to see the way you think they don't want to hear you say yes or no. If you go down this path your interview will be over in 10 minutes. If you talk they can usually ask follow up questions that give them more insight about you.
8. I know in step 6 I said keep it simple, but that was on personal matters.
9. Hands: TAKE THEM OUT OF YOUR POCKETS! DO NOT CROSS THEM! This shows you are holding back and keeping something to yourself, I am not sure if this is true but enough people have watched CSI, and Law and Order to start believing this stuff.
10. Slang: Im not aight, I don't care how you doin, and your boys aint gonna get none o this chedder if you keep talking like a crack addict.

I hope that in the current times that the world is facing this artcile will help just one person get a job.

Most of these tips are fairly obvious to people that have been employed many times over, but with people being made redundant who have had the same job for over 20 years it may seem very daunting to have to apply for a new position.

If you liked this post check out: How to get a Job in A Sales Call Center or How to get a Job in a Outbound Call center as a telemarketer