- Be prompt. Nothing is worse than sitting and waiting for a candidate to show. It demonstrates a lack of respect and is just plain rude. This goes for the interviewer as well!
- Don’t answer your phone in the middle of the interview. This one *should* be common sense, right? The important word here being “should.” Unfortunately, I’ve sat through too many interviews where the candidate actually did pick up, sent a text or even asked if I minded if they checked their voicemail. Really?!
- Also, I don’t want to glance down and see your shoes off. Feet are best left with soles on. And besides, ick! And don’t get me started on proper footwear. Flip-flops (no matter how “dressy,” don’t belong in an interview. Heck, now that we’re talking about clothes, be sure you have dressed appropriately for the weather but also business professional. And yes, you do need sleeves. Regardless of gender.
- I hate having to even mention this, but personal hygiene is important. Here in sunny AZ where it can be 120 degrees in the shade, wear deodorant. I don’t want to smell you before I see you. That goes for perfume or body spray, too! Leave your Axe Body Spray at home.
- Please, please, please don’t interrupt me. I hate that.
- No yawning. Get enough sleep the night before your interview and come awake. Or at least caffeinated.
- Come prepared with your own writing utensil and never ask to borrow mine. Also, come prepared with paper or someplace to take notes as well.
- Don’t check your watch. It’s okay to take note of when you get in the interview room and when you leave, but don’t make it seem like you have someplace else to be.
- And last but certainly not least…. Keep your phone on silent. I was in the middle of an interview once and the candidate’s phone rang. Not a big deal, right? He didn’t answer it, but the song it played was the chorus from Justin Bieber’s “%#$@ Yourself.” Go ahead and google it if you haven’t heard it. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you. NOT INTERVIEW APPROPRIATE.
Krista Morris is the founder of Virtuoso Resumes and a two-time TORI Award winner who has helped more than 3,000 professionals land jobs faster with strategic, high-impact resumes. Known for bold storytelling and interview-based information gathering, she blends recruiting insight with clear positioning to turn complex careers into compelling brands. Before launching Virtuoso, she spent nearly a decade in workforce development with the State of Arizona and Maximus, helping job seekers move from unemployed to unstoppable. Today, her four-writer team serves clients across the United States and supports career transitions at every level.