Tips to Win the Job Interview

Here are a good list of reminders for job seekers who wanted to pass the job interview with flying colors.

Over-all Appearance Tips:
Dress Properly. Must be in formal attire.  Attire does not just concern  clothes but the over-all appearance. What formal attire should be:

Women:
Knee-long pencil-cut skirt or slacks and blouse/business suit/tube or spaghetti-strapped blouse WITH a blazer.

Do not wear plunging neckline blouses, nor too loose and a mini skirt. Dressing indecent like those would just give you a bad impression – you might be a distraction to your co-workers or might be a cause of trouble in the workplace. When you do not have anything but a mini-skirt, I suggest you wear a pair of stockings or pantyhose.

Never wear overpowering make-up. Do not put on dark red or black lipstick and a very noticeable blush-on. Just choose the good-to-nothing shades – looking natural but not “bare”.

Do not wear slippers or sandals  or open-shoes. I would suggest full shoes (leather or synthetic sort) rather than sandals or wedges; better they would be your last options.

(Slacks are best in black, navy blue or light brown never wear shocking colors like red, sky blue, yellow or orange slacks – it just looks funky or not serious).

Men:
Polo/Slacks/Coat and Tie (rugged “maong” pants is a NO, NO even it does not have holes or ripped designs) the cloth’s texture does not show formality.

Undershirts inside your sheer colored “barong” or polo is still works too.


For Both Genders:

Perfumes
If you would smell like a perfume store, better not spray that scent on you. Just choose mild scent. If not all but most people, get irritated smelling such heavy perfumes and may want to cut your job interview short especially interviews are frequently done in a secluded place (inside a particular room in an office that is not too big at all and air-conditioned lucky if the interview is done in a “panel” that means wider venue) the smell would not be that obvious at all.

If it is a sunny day just dab on a “cologne”, I remember Avon cosmetics teaches that perfumes should be worn only at not so humid and hot days and they recommend colognes as substitute for that kind of weather.

The best parts of the body to put on that fragrance are the elbows and back of the ears, I think because we do not sweat that much or may be really not on that areas-avoiding mixing the perfume with the sweat creating NEW undesirable smell or even odor!

T-shirt is a NO, NO.
Avoid blouse or polo with “word” whatever quote or good words may those be, rude, obscene prints – they all spoil the formality of your attire.

Rubber Shoes and slippers are inappropriate, if you do not feel comfortable wearing leather top-sider shoes just bring something to “change-on” afterwards.

Taking a bath need no mentioning because everybody preferred it  but I opt to remind you because it will give you added comfort and layering perfume can not cover body odor or plain sweat.

Be sure that your clothes are clean and well-pressed. Bring a “clean” handkerchief.  

Clean Hands and Fingernails/Hair Fixed

Check on your fingernails if they are trimmed and clean. Manicure is not too important but okay for girls (opt for natural-looking shades like platinum, nude or beige).

If you are a man and your hair is long enough to clip-on, better head to the barber’s shop before going to your interview. For women, be sure that your hair is in place if is not re-bonded (because this seldom needs a lot of fixing)-make sure it does not cover your face especially your eyes and it does not look messy nor have not been washed for a week! Better visit the ladies’room as soon as you arrived in the office for the last look before you show-up (travelling especially while commuting brings chaos to your well-done hair).

Look at the mirror before you step-out of your residence. Smile (check on your teeth-make sure no food strips in between). Check your over-all appearance, if it passes on your own HONEST  judgment it might as well qualify  to your  interviewer’s assessment.

In my opinion, your over-all appearance constitute around 40% of your chances to get hired, remember PLEASING PERSONALITY (not just the physical looks, your smell, attitude –the way you interact makes your personality). If you are the boss, would you give a chance to somebody who never smiles but frowns all the time with matching creasing forehead? I doubt you will, unless you wanted to be in the company of a stressful co-worker. And if one can not fix himself neatly, what more he can do to handle the job proficiently.

Interview Hints (sample questions). Here are few samples of questions in an interview.

a. Say something about yourself.