Get a Job! Part 2: The Interview

Last week, we gave you some beautiful tips and tricks to get yourself a job. Given that you’ve already filled out multiple job applications, what comes next? That’s right, the interview process! For many, this is the worst part of the job application process. But once you learn to rock your interviews, you’ll be getting those job offers in no time! Here are some useful “Dos” and “Don’ts” of interviewing.
DO:
-Dress professionally. It doesn’t matter if you’re applying to work at a bank or as an exotic dancer, classy dress is key. You’ll always be safe keeping it simple: a solid colored dress, blazer and modest heels will never fail you. If you’re going to wear a skirt, just make sure it stays professional. Even if you think you can turn your going-out skirt into something office-appropriate, you’re probably wrong. You’d rather be safe than sorry!
-Be honest! Often, you’ll be asked by employers about your weakness or a time when you failed. Nothing sounds more pretentious than saying that you don’t have a weakness, or you can’t think of a time when you failed. I know we’re all fabulous collegiettes, but we all have our weaknesses. If you keep it real with your interviewer, you’ll prove your honesty and humbleness.
-Stop playing with your hair. I’m sure your hair is beautiful, but refrain from touching it during an interview. Why? It can make you look awkward and nervous. The same goes for twiddling your thumbs, picking your cuticles, rubbing your hands together, twisting your rings around your fingers; anything that will make you look like you’re really uncomfortable. Sit up straight and keep your hands in your lap.
-Keep eye contact. You know how weird it feels when you’re trying to hold a conversation with someone and it feels like they’re looking around 8 inches to the right of your face? Don’t make that situation happen for your interviewer. If you can’t keep eye contact with them, they can’t expect you to connect well with customers or clients.
-Ask questions! I can almost guarantee you that at the end of every interview, the employer will ask if you have any questions. Even if you don’t have any in mind, come up with something. This shows that you’re interested enough in the job to be asking these questions. You can ask exactly what the job entails, what the hours are generally like, or when you should hear back about the application.
DON’T:
-Make any excuses. To quote one of my very favorite films, Wedding Crashers, “Rule #76. No excuses. Play like a champion.” If an employer asks you about a past job or why you were fired, never make an excuse. Don’t blame it on your past employer, unless of course your past employer was actually a terrible person. Even then, it’s always better to say something like you had “irreconcilable differences” than to call your past employer a really mean name or talk badly about them. Own up to whatever happened, it will only benefit you.
-Don’t lie, or even exaggerate. This will just make you look stupid. You might be tempted to list “Fluent in Russian” as a skill on your resume, but what happens when the interviewer asks you to speak Russian? The same goes for during the interview. The interviewer will be able to tell you’re lying, and that won’t help your chances of getting a job.
-Chew gum! I know this should seem like a no-brainer, but for someone like me who is always chewing gum, it can be difficult to remember to dispose of it before going into a professional setting.
-Even think about looking at your phone. Turn it on silent (and double-check to make sure that it is), put it in your purse, and put your purse on the ground. It’s annoying when you’re trying to hold a conversation with a friend while they’re staring at their phone and texting, so just imagine how the interviewer will feel if you keep doing that.
-Talk about money. Topics like salary and benefits are only appropriate to talk about if and when the interviewer brings them up. If you initiate this, the interviewer will probably think you’re only looking at the job for the money. Even if you are, don’t say so. That conversation is better left for after you get the job.