Interviewing Manners

Appearance

The first thing the interviewer sees is your appearance. From the moment the interview begins, the interviewer is already evaluating you on your manners and posture. The basis of making a good impression with your appearance is cleanliness. As a professional, let's be conscious of your hairstyle, clothes, nails, and feet. Unclean and sloppy appearance not only makes those around you uncomfortable, but also gives an impression that you are not serious about working. Please also remember to turn off your cell phone before you go in for an interview.

Since the interview is a place to sell yourself, you will leave a better impression if have a good appearance.

Posture/greeting

As with appearance, your posture will catch an interviewer’s attention. The way you stand will say a lot about the type of person you are. Be especially careful about the way you are standing when you enter the interview room. Your back should be straight, shoulders relaxed, and feet together. Before the interview begins, greet the interviewer and bow. When sitting up, do so slowly.

Always greet and introduce yourself first. Say the first greeting enthusiastically and clearly. State your name and thank them for allowing you to have this opportunity. When sitting, try not to lean onto the chair, but leave some space between your back and the backrest. Also, if you have any habits (shaking your legs, twirling pens, messing with hair, etc.), try to make extra effort to prevent it from happening. You may not be aware of your own habits so it’s a good idea to ask your friends and family about it.

Some companies at the Career Forum do not bow as a greeting, but sometimes shakes hands. If the company representative extends their hand, shake their hand instead of bowing.

Expression

It is good to be relaxed but a little nervous too. It is natural to get nervous in front of others, but whether you can control it or not is considered an important business skill. Be careful not to make the other person think that your attitude is insincere, you may give them a negative image of you. Smiling and properly greeting the company representatives at the booth will make your first impression much better.

Eye contact

Eye contact is a very important communication tool. Always remember to make eye contact whenever you are speaking as well as when you are listening to the speaker. Wandering eyes gives the impression that you are not focused or that you are not interested in what the other person is saying. If you find it difficult to make eye contact, try to look a little below the person’s eyes or even their nose. On the other hand, staring can make the other person feel uncomfortable, so it’s also important to sometimes look away.

Speaking

Speak clearly and concisely. Speaking softly or mumbling doesn’t leave a great impression. When speaking, don’t stop halfway and finish what you have to say. Stopping halfway gives the impression that you are not confident in what you are saying. Some people start talking fast when they are nervous. Try not to rush, take your time, and speak with confidence.

Listening

Listen to what the other person is saying until they are finished talking, and think over the question being asked before answering. The interviewer has a purpose of asking the question and is expecting the candidate to answer it a certain way. Instead of thinking about what the correct answer is, think more about what the interviewer is trying to learn from your answer. Not listening until the end and jumping to conclusions or disregarding the question can give the impression that you lack comprehension skills or that you can only think of yourself and not the other person.

How to receive a business card

If you are a student, unless you are a MBA student, the case of receiving a business card is rare. However, when given a business card, always do so standing. If there are several representatives, make sure to receive the business card first from the highest positioned representative. When given a business card, stand up and take it with both hands. After you have received the business card, place it on the table. You can look at the business card(s) then. If there are several representatives, line up the cards in the order they are seated to make sure you address them with the right name. For many students, your resume will be your business card. Have your resume ready so you can hand it to them quickly when asked.

After the interview

After the interview, get up from your seat, stand next to the chair, and thank them for their time. When leaving the room, open the door and bow without holding the doorknob, and then close the door while thanking them. Also, we recommend you to check what the next step in the interview process is before the end of the interview.

The interviews at the Career Forums are held in booths or the interview rooms so when the interview is over, stand up, thank them and bow, then leave the booth.

Difference between company booths and interview rooms

Depending on the company, we recommend you to assume that interviews at the company booths are typically shorter and are about 10 to 15 minutes. The interview could last 30 minutes if the conversation is going well, but what you are able to say in a short amount of time during the interview and how you are going to make it through to the next interview process is key. Also, there are interviews happening next to you, so make sure you don’t get distracted. Many first interviews are held at the booth.

If you have a second and third interview, or if you have prior appointments already set up, you will typically have those interviews in a separate area called the interview room. Since the interview room is private, your interview will be held in a more quiet setting unlike the booths. At this time, in addition to the hiring manager, you may interview senior managers, senior executives, and other higher-ups of the company. There is a possibility that they may ask more in-depth, technical questions, so we recommend you practice and prepare by thinking of what kinds of questions they may ask.