The time of the interview – According to Glassdoor, 10:30am on a Tuesday is the best time for you to schedule an interview.
People are shown to be most productive on Tuesdays and won't feel rushed by the time they meet you. It's also late enough in the day that your interviewer has had time to check their email, have a cup of coffee, and get ready for your arrival.
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The weather on the day of your interview - University of Toronto researchers Donald Redelmeier and Simon D. Baxter found that medical school applicants fared worse if they interviewed on a rainy day compared to their sunny day interviewees.
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How early you arrive – Of course arriving a few minutes early is a good idea, and is certainly better than arriving late — but don't show up a half hour before your interview. It can make you appear too anxious or put pressure on the interviewer. If you have extra time, gather your thoughts in your car or take a brief walk to get your energy up.
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Whether other people also interview on the same day - Basically, research shows that whether or not you're considered qualified for a position depends on who else is applying for the job.
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Whether you feel powerful - You should try holding yourself in a power pose for two minutes before the interview. This will increase your abstract thinking abilities, pain threshold, risk-tolerance, and levels of testosterone, the dominant hormone that makes you feel more confident and powerful.
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What you do while waiting in the lobby - Drinking coffee, eating, or talking on your cell is not the first impression you want to make with the hiring manager — or the receptionist. You don't know exactly when the interviewer will show up, so be at the ready.
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How you treat the receptionist or the driver - Employers want to know how you interact with others regularly, so a common tactic is to ask the receptionist about you later.
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Your handshake - As in any business or networking situation, a weak, tentative handshake conveys a lack of confidence. This gesture is a key part of your first impression.
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If you accept the offered coffee - If they offer you something to drink besides water, especially coffee, don't accept it. Your interviewer doesn't want to spend 10-minutes just to make you a cup of coffee.
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Whether you're a little narcissistic - ScienceDaily.com reports that narcissists score much higher than others in job interviews, and it's because they're comfortable with self-promoting.
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The color of your clothing - According to 2,099 hiring managers and human resource professionals who participated in a CareerBuilder survey, blue and black are the best colors to wear to a job interview, and orange is the worst.
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Whether you glance at your watch or cell phone - As unimportant as this might seem, people notice when you're peeking at your watch or phone, and you certainly don't want to convey that you're not engaged in the conversation.
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Sitting before you're asked to - Show respect of your interviewer's space by waiting for them to offer you a seat, or wait for them to sit first. Sit tall with squared up shoulders and try to occupy as much space in the chair as possible. Don't be like a shrinking violet with a bowed head, no eye contact, and slouching shoulders.
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Tailoring your answers based on the interviewer's age - Different generations are most impressed by different values. By being aware of your interviewer's age, you can tailor your answers to what you think they're looking for.
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The way you make eye contact in a panel interview - Keep everyone's attention in a panel interview by making eye contact with different people at specific times during your response.
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Your posture - When you're in the interview, your default should be sitting straight and keeping a pleasant smile on your face. Avoid slumping in your chair and remember to lean forward, showing interest in the interviewer.
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What you do with your hands –
- Showing your palms indicates sincerity.
- Holding your palms downward is a sign of dominance. Do not shake hands with your palms down.
- Pressing the fingertips of your hands together to form a church steeple is a display of confidence.
- Concealing your hands, as in putting them in your pockets, is a sign that you have something to hide.
- Finger tapping is a sign of impatience.
- Folding your arms across your chest is a very defensive position, indicating disappointment or disagreement.
- Overusing hand gestures to the point of distraction.
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The questions you ask - Maybe you're capable of answering every question sent your way with flying colors, but you also need to leave on a good note by asking smart, thoughtful questions at the end. For example: What are some of the problems your company faces right now? And what is your department doing to solve them? What type of employee tends to succeed here? What qualities are the most important for doing well and advancing at the firm?
