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Interview Etiquette – How to Create a Good Impression?

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So you have solved hundreds of coding problems, brushed up your technical skills, and are ready to rock the interview! Although there is another important aspect that most interviewees ignore when it comes to job interviews – Soft Skills or Basic Etiquette. Interviews are meant to assess how good a fit you are for the specific job opening and organization as a whole and is not just limited to your knowledge, skills, experience, and professional background. Now, where does etiquette come into the picture?

Interview Etiquette - How to Create a Good Impression?

Quick Tips to Create Good Impression

You might wonder why your body language and etiquette matter. Aren’t my skills and knowledge enough to hire me? The answer to the question is that you will represent the organization if selected – hence you must be well-behaved and ooze confidence in how you carry yourself. So, now let’s move forward and take a look at how you can create a good impression:

1. Research the Company

The first and foremost step that you should follow is to do deep research about the organization in which you are going to give an interview. Knowing about the company gives you a different level of confidence and you can answer the questions asked by the interviewer in a better way. In order to know about the company you can go through their website, social media, and LinkedIn profile to understand both short-term and long-term goals. 

2. Read the Job Description

Before going for the interview another important preparation that you should do is to read the job description twice or thrice. Doing this gives clarity regarding the job role that you are applying for. Along with that, you will also be able to distinguish between the tasks that you are unable to do and need more practice. Another importance of this step would be that you will get to know if you are the perfect fit for the role or not. Moreover, you can compare your current job role with the new job description and apply accordingly. 

3. Arrive Early

Now, being late can be a big drawback and provides a bad impression. Therefore it is important that you reach 10-15 mins early for the interview. Always check the location a day before and practice the run time so that you do not face any difficulty on an actual day. Reaching early shows your punctuality and seriousness regarding the job role thus, will leave a good impression on the recruiter. Also, when you reach early try to observe the employees and office environment as it will help in asking questions at the time of the interview.

4. Dress Appropriately

Dressing appropriately can really help you in creating a good impression in an interview but make sure you wear the correct type of clothes. Always wear formal and decent colours. Wearing informal clothes or bold colours can minimize your chances of getting a job. Do research about the company culture via social media posts and observe the dress code of the present employees. Also, take a look at some do’s and don’ts of dressing up. 

Do’s

  1. Wear clean and ironed formal clothes
  2. Wear properly fitted, comfortable clothes
  3. Wear neutral colours – White, Blue, Black, Navy, Gray, Brown
  4. Patterns allowed – Plain OR Small checks
  5. Try the clothes once before the interview

Don’ts

  1. Be overly fashionable/trendy
  2. Wear bright-coloured clothes with patterns
  3. Wear loose crumpled clothes
  4. Wear your casual home clothes (even during online interviews)

5. Creating Fabulous First Impression

There’s a saying, “The first impression is the last impression” In the below pie chart we have tried to give you a pictorial representation of what constitutes a first impression. You will be surprised to know that only 7% of what you speak contributes to your overall body language! Hence, it is essential to focus on other aspects of your personality as well, like the way you sit, dress, and speak. The first impression definitely does not finalize your interview result, but it has the power to shape the way your next 20-30 minutes of the interview will look. 

First-Impression-in-Interview

6. Do not Lie

Overstating your skill and achievements is quite tempting but is very wrong to do. Hence, it is important that you always remain truthful while giving answers during the interview. You might have no big achievements in your career but if you are honest then you will definitely get respect. But, if you lie and the person sitting in front of you comes to know the same, then things can get bad you might not even qualify for that position.

 7. Speak Softly

The way you speak is very much looked at during the interview. People who do not have a friendly voice or attitude are not considered good candidates. Therefore, it is important that you practice the way you speak before going for the interview. Do remember the following points:

  • Volume: Loud enough to be heard easily but make sure you are not screaming.
  • Speed: Fast-talking is a sign of nervousness. The optimal Speech Rate is ~150 words/minute
    • If nervous, take a pause for a few seconds
    • Count 1 to 5 in your mind
    • Take a deep breath
  • Tone: Be fluent, clear & confident
  • Maintain eye contact with the interviewer(s) while talking
  • Do not interrupt the interviewer in the middle
  • Use hand gestures only to emphasize a point
  • Stay natural – Have a warm, enthusiastic, and positive attitude

8. Be Yourself

Another thing to understand is that an interview is simply a conversation with the interviewer about your technical knowledge and skills. So participate freely in the discussion, and be honest. Never add anything extra and try to be yourself as anything artificial cannot be hidden from the person sitting in front of you. Remain focused on your answer and do not say anything which makes you unsure about yourself. Just be confident, and authentic and speak positively.

9. Ask Relatable Questions

Remember that the interviewer is a human as well – they are friendly, understanding, and empathize with the interviewee’s situation. So ask for clarifications if the question is unclear, ask for time if you need some for solving a question, and make the interviewer aware if you are facing any sort of difficulty. Asking smart questions also interpret that you are serious about the new job role and also interested in knowing about the company. 

10. Send a Thank You Mail

Most of the candidates do not follow this step thus steps a way closer to getting the job. It is your duty after the interview it is your duty to send the recruiter a thank you email. Sending the mail helps the interviewer to remember you and they are forced to think about you. Just make sure that if our interview was in the morning, you send the email the next day in the morning or afternoon. 

Tips for Online Interview

Finally, let’s go through some tips for online interviews as well since they have become the new norm nowadays.

Before Interview

  1. Install the required app (Zoom / Meets) at least a day before on your device.
  2. Run a test meeting on the app with family a day before — Familiarize yourself with how to mute/unmute yourself, turn the video on/off, share screen, send chat messages, etc.
  3. Check internet & microphone connectivity at least 30 minutes before. Keep a backup available beforehand with you in case of last-moment glitches.
  4. Join the meeting ID 5 minutes before the start time.
  5. Find a good spot in your room – clear of noise or visual distractions.
  6. You can even set a virtual background or blur the background while your camera is on, in case you cannot find a suitable place.

During Interview

  1. Follow all etiquette similar to offline interviews.
  2. Keep your video on throughout the call.
  3. Keep your mobile out of your hand’s reach. Put it on silent or DND mode and switch off alarms.
  4. Don’t casually check your mobile even if there’s a pause/break due to technical glitches.
  5. Don’t get frustrated in case of technical issues. Remember they are external factors on which you have no control. Calmly inform your interviewer about the same, ask for a few minutes, and try alternate options.

Conclusion

So, with these tips and etiquette rules, you will definitely be able to create a good impression on your interviewer and pose yourself as a professional individual. These tips can help you to be a terrific candidate and will definitely increase your chances of getting the job. You just need to be confident in your skills and YOURSELF, and you will nail down your interview. 

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Last Updated : 20 Sep, 2023
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