1. Try to be friends with your interviewer.
Have a casual conversation with your interviewer, which means walk in and act like you know the person. Compliment your interviewer’s interests and learn what they like to talk about and reflect on that.
2. Dress nicely, but wear clothes that make you feel confident.
This also applies to what kind of job you are applying for, and dress according to the place you are interviewing at. For example, if it is a five star restaurant, wear a blazer, dress pants and a blouse. If it is a casual retail job, a pair of cute jeans and tank top would suffice. Whatever it is you are wearing, ensure you are confident in that outfit as it will affect your performance in your job interview.
3. Never MEMORIZE your potential questions word by word!
This means do not let your friend/roommate/boyfriend/parents help you rehearse or memorize your answers to potential interview questions—it will make you feel more nervous. Instead, study the company, be yourself, and answer the questions through improvisation rather than memorization. Memorizing it word for word will not make the conversation flow, but rather make it awkward when you forget a word. P.S. I used to do this and this did not help at all.
4. Don’t be late! This means showing up 5 to 10 minutes early.
If the company is hiring a lot of people at once in a consecutive week, my advice would be to show up on the first day and the earliest time they are holding their interviews. This shows interviewers that you are enthusiastic about the job and they are less likely to be tired when it’s your turn.
5. Always ask questions during the interview because it means they know you are passionate about the job.
I would suggest prepare for interesting and thoughtful questions like, “What is a difference between a good employee than a great one?” These questions will definitely make you stand out.
6. Ensure you have great body language!
Body language makes up 55% of communication to the receiver. For example, you should always face your whole body to the interviewer, and also sit properly and do not slouch. More importantly, always look them in the eyes even though it is nerve wracking.
7. Leave a positive impression at the end of the interview.
I would highly recommend leaving the interview with no awkwardness, discomfort or nervousness because that will be the first thought they have in mind of you. For example say something like, “It was really nice meeting you, and I’ll be very glad to hear from you again.” *handshake*