1. Look in the mirror. Again.
After the interview is not the time to find out your collar was up, your hair out of place or that you had spinach in your teeth. Arrive 10 minutes early, visit the restroom and check that everything's in place — including your fly.
2. Ready Your Uniform
Elite athletes put out their neatly pressed uniform the night before a game. Preparation is everything. Lay out your game suit to make sure you’re not missing buttons, trailing stray threads and that everything is clean.
3. Open a Door — For Someone Else
Twenty four hours before the interview do some good deeds for a change. Open doors for little old ladies. Give a dollar to some homeless guy who didn't get the job. Say hello to people. You may actually feel good about yourself.
4. Assume You Are Being Watched
Did you know that many employers have their receptionists spy on you? Prepare for the 5 to 20 minutes you will be cooling your heels in the lobby. Bring a popular new business book. Make sure everyone can see the title. Pretend to read it. Make sure you're at least halfway through.
5. Get Sweaty
Half an hour of vigorous exercise boosts endorphins and improves the appearance of your skin. You will feel and look better in your interview. Best 60 minutes or more before the appointed hour. Especially if you were so nervous you didn't sleep well. Don’t forget the shower and anti-perspirant afterwards.
6. Fill Your Tummy
Eat too lightly and you'll just end up cranky, thinking about when the damn interview will finally be over. A good meal also means you won’t have your stomach growling in the middle of your big chance.
7. Empty Your Pockets
Ever notice how crap accumulates in your pockets, purse or wallet? Clean it out before the interview. No extra change jangling around. No pen that might decide to leak at the worst moment. No big ball of lint clinging to your fingernail when you reach out to shake hands.
8. Write It Down
Bring a small notebook and pen to keep handy in the final moments before the interview. Write down pertinent things in advance – like the interviewer’s name, which you should practice pronouncing before meeting them. And key points you want to emphasize from your last couple of jobs.
9. Disaster Planning
Murphy’s Law insists that, if you give yourself too fine a margin to make your interview on time, that there will be a traffic accident or some other event that will make you late. Instead, plan to arrive 20 to 30 minutes early and kill time by walking around the block or cooling your heels in a local café.
10. Reacquaint Yourself With Your Resumé
Sure, you know your resumé like the back of your hand. Except maybe when you’re asked, “Why less than two years at this job?” There you are, drawing a blank. Before your appointment, think ahead to possible questions that might come up and your short but truthful responses that will keep the interview on track.
