Interview dos and don'ts
Australian Human Resources Institute fact sheet

'Dos': Tips for making a good impression

Do:

a.. Be professional and polite with everyone. When you arrive, state clearly
who you are and who you are there to see. Be punctual and prepared;
b.. Feel confident about yourself. Knowing you look good and that you are well
prepared will go a long way to boosting your confidence;
c.. Smile - it will relax you and make others receptive to what you have to
say;
d.. Be positive and polite about any delays during interview, and when
answering questions;
e.. A firm handshake is essential. Good posture and eye contact will make you
appear confident and will help your interviewer to feel comfortable with you;
f.. Avoid the temptation to be too informal. Even if your interviewer has a
relaxed and friendly style, they are still trying to assess you as a potential
employee and representative of their company;
g.. Be prepared for your interview, as it will help you to answer questions in
a concise and relevant way, and will enable you to demonstrate knowledge of the
company and a real interest in the position.
'Don'ts'

Common interview blunders include:

a.. Poor interview preparation. A lack of thought about the position or
research about the company;
b.. Poor posture. Failure to maintain eye contact or scowling or fidgeting
through nervousness;
c.. Being overly friendly. Inappropriate behaviour in an interview situation
such as talking too much about personal circumstances, swearing or using other
inappropriate language;
d.. Being negative about present and former employers, the company, its staff
or procedures;
e.. Arriving too late or too early. Arriving flustered and unkempt.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]