Congratulations! You have gotten past the organization’s HR gatekeepers and are ready to storm the tower. Here are some tips to ensure your interview goes well.

• Plan your travel route the night before to make sure you arrive early.
• Be calm, focused and mentally prepared for anything. Many firms are now using modern HR methods such as skills and personality testing, so don’t get rattled if you’re asked to test during the interview.
• Dress appropriately and conservatively. You want to be memorable for the right reasons.
• Make eye contact and have a firm, confident handshake.
• Bring water! You will be doing a lot of talking and it is perfectly acceptable to occasionally sip water to avoid a hoarse, scratchy throat.
• While it is a good idea to be prepared with answers to commonly asked interview questions, the most important thing is to make sure you answer all questions honestly and sincerely. If you need to take a quick moment to collect your thoughts before answering, that is absolutely fine.
• Research the company and come with a list of questions about the organization, its culture, values and goals. It shows that you are interested.
• Understand that you are not the only person being interviewed—you should be interviewing the employer as well. Ask your interviewer about their experiences in the organization to get some insights into whether you feel this could be a good fit for you, too.
• Remember that the interview is an opportunity for the employer to get to know you and develop realistic expectations of what you could do if hired. Make sure you give them as much information about yourself as time permits.
• It is also an opportunity for you to get to know the employer and develop realistic expectations of what working with the organization will be like. The interviewer will lead the interview, but in the best case scenario, a great interview should be a two-way dialogue.

Omar Castro-Garcia is an Account Manager with Loren Nancke. His passion for helping others succeed is evident in the time he devotes to supporting his community and coworkers. You can reach him at 604-904-3807 in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia.

Kate Jessup is responsible for human resources, training and client services. As a Senior Account Manager, her work focuses on the human side of the equation. You can reach Kate at 604-904-3807 in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia.