Three Job Interview Tips That Will Seal the Deal

Carl admitted that his habit of being late––for everything, including work, parties, meetings, sporting events, and family gatherings––was ruining his life. When an opportunity to start a new job came up he vowed to clean up his act and be more respectful of other people and their time. He started by getting up early enough to shower, eat, drive to work, and arrive at his desk with time to spare.

Many employers would appreciate it if more people made such a commitment and stuck to it. Employees today have gotten so casual in the workplace they've forgotten that having a job and earning a living is a privilege, not a right.

According to job search website CareerBuilder, "The percentage of workers arriving late to work has increased slightly from 2011. The US-based survey found that 16% of workers arrive late to work once a week or more (in 2012), up from 15% last year."

The following three job interview tips address three of the most crucial qualities a hiring manager is looking for when interviewing potential employees. And the first one has to do with time.

TIP #1: Be on time. No excuses. No reasons. No allowances. Plan to be on time by preparing for contingencies—such as traffic delays, detours or roadblocks, and weather changes. You can't be on top of every situation but you can avoid most setbacks by anticipating and heading them off. Arrive at your interview with thirty minutes to spare. If you need that time because of an emergency on the road, you'll have it. If you don't need it, you can use it to rest, breathe, relax, and go over your notes. This will show that you are a person who respects time.

TIP #2: Dress for the job. In most situations this requires professional attire—a suit or sport coat and slacks for men, a pants suit or skirt and jacket for women. This would be different, of course, if you were interviewing for a service position in a restaurant or for work on a construction crew. But even then you should show up in neat, clean, well-pressed clothing that fits the occasion. Being overdressed is preferable to being underdressed. And of course well-groomed hair and polished shoes should be part of the package.

TIP #3: Be friendly, yet professional. A firm and friendly handshake is always appropriate. And be sure to look the hiring manager in the eye. When directed to a particular seat, take your place and then wait for the interviewer to open the conversation.

By now you may be thinking these tips are pretty basic. Who doesn't already know them? You're correct. They're basic. And most job searchers might know them. But you'd be surprised at how few people apply them. They are more interested in trying to impress the hiring manager with their many work-related accomplishments. Of course these are important and they are part of the interview process—but before you get to that point consider the fact that people judge others within seconds of meeting them—long before any words are exchanged. That means you could have garnered the job of lost it within seconds of entering the interview room.

It's as Easy as 1, 2, 3 . . .

Review these job interview tips, start practicing them now, and then walk into your next interview and seal the deal by being prompt, looking your best (and smelling good too), and smiling, shaking hands, and looking the interviewer in the eye. The hiring manager may make up his or her mind before you even open your mouth to speak. I hope so!