20.3 Performance
Once you have prepared mentally and gathered information for the interview, it’s time to prepare for the interaction during the interview.
Dress the Part
Dress your best. In most business cultures, dressing professionally is a sign of respect, conveying that you care about the position and that you want to make a good impression.
Here are the basics:
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- Wear your best professional clothing.
- Try on the complete outfit to make sure you’re comfortable. Does it fit? Stay in place? Can you sit down, shake hands, and move comfortably? You don’t want your clothing to distract you or the interviewer.
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Even if you know the work environment is casual, you should dress “up” for the interview—more professionally than you would if you worked there. The exception would be if you are explicitly told not to—for instance, if the recruiter specifies that you should dress “business casual.”
Don’t Come Empty-Handed
Arriving at the interview with important documents and notes shows that you are prepared and thinking ahead. Organize all your materials in a nice folder or folio—presentation matters! Print out several clean copies of your résumé and any other documents you might want to reference, like the job or internship description or your references. You should also bring a few samples of your work, if possible, documents you’ve prepared or artifacts from projects.
Make the most out of all of that research and preparation by bringing notes. A nice notebook or paper and a pen are perfectly acceptable for you to have in the interview, and they can help you feel more focused by getting some of the information out of your head and organized on paper.
Follow these guidelines:
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- Be organized. Re-write or type and print your notes so you can easily find the information you need. You don’t want to be shuffling through scraps of paper.
- Keep it simple. Write down keywords, brief phrases and ideas that will jog your memory, not a complete script.
- Prepare questions for the interviewer. You typically have the opportunity to ask these questions at the end of the interview.
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Body Language & Interaction
As a general rule, it’s important to be observant and take your cues from the interviewer. Reflect their tone and pay attention to the dynamic they set. Are they very formal and professional or more conversational? It’s okay to make small talk, but you want to follow the lead of the interviewer.
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- Shake hands. Most of the time, these professional interactions will begin with a handshake. Be prepared with a firm (but not too firm!) and confident handshake. It never hurts to practice!
- Be conscious of your posture.
- Make eye contact. Look at the interviewer while they ask you questions and give them non-verbal cues—smiling, nodding—when appropriate. Make it clear that you understand what they’re saying, that you’re listening.
- Speak clearly and thoughtfully. Adjust your volume for the environment and make sure the interviewer can hear and under