We’re all well acquainted with the petrifying fear of a job interview; despite being a process that most people experience dozens of times in their lives, the anxiety and embarrassment they inspire is pervasive. As the great Katherine Hepburn once put it: ‘Death will be a great relief. No more interviews’.

However, there are a few surprisingly simple tips for keeping the angst at bay and ensuring that your next interview will (at least, for a while) be your last.

Here is Part 1 of our interview guide, to increase the chances of success!

The Bodily Basics

Your body, the way it looks, sounds, and smells, is one of few things you have total control over during the interview.

Some of these dos and don’ts are well known, but worth repeating.

Do:

• get a good sleep the night before (seven hours minimum);
• eat a healthy and energising breakfast;
• take a deep breath (in for four, hold for four, out for eight) and relax the muscles in your face and neck before the interview begins (bodily tension breeds mental tension and vice versa);
• smile (this is really important and so simple to do!);
• shake hands (firm, but not hand-breaking – as a previous interviewer I can vouch that a weak handshake can also be off-putting);
• maintain eye contact and speak as clearly as possible.

Do not:

• over-caffeinate during the aforementioned breakfast;
• smoke just before the interview begins;
• sit until invited (or slouch and fidget post-invitation);
• swear (even mildly);
• criticize former employers (no matter how justified);
• let that mobile phone anywhere near the interview room (in the pocket, turned off, silent, not vibrating, bare minimum).

Are all of these obvious? Yes. Do we all forget at least one of them during the chaotic haze of interview prep? Yes again.

What to wear at an interview

The other aspect of interview prep that you have control over is the dress code. It’s easy to trip up here, particularly if you’re interviewing in the catering and hospitality industries.  It’s all too easy to say ‘well, if they hire me, I’ll be in greasy chef’s whites forevermore, so why would I bother with a tie for the interview?’

The answer is this: proving that you’re responsible and capable enough to dress yourself well proves that you possess some amount of responsibility and capability in and of themselves.

Moreover, proving that you have the emotional intelligence and empathy to know when to dress in such a way demonstrates that you possess two of the most fundamental soft-skills employers look for in hospitality and catering; employers want people who can direct these skills towards their customers, whether that’s on a restaurant floor, in the kitchen, or anywhere in between.

Personal vs. Personnel

This point is possibly the most important of them all, particularly in hospitality and catering. People hired in these industries often have little or no experience; this is absolutely fine, it’s the job of your managers and supervisors to train you. It means, however, that the emphasis of the interview shifts: it becomes an opportunity to prove that you’re enthusiastic about working there, and that people who work there already should be enthusiastic about working with you.

On some level the interview becomes a social experience, a chance to show your interviewer that you could enjoy working alongside each other. This is especially true of jobs where the hot and chaotic rush of a dinner service or big event is a daily feature; they are stressful environments, so prove that you’re a pleasure, not a chore. As such, take the time to indulge in pleasantries and a little casual banter if appropriate.

Similarly, remember that – experienced or not – the interview is more than just a chance to recap your CV. Use the interview to show them what a piece of paper cannot: your human side, your social side, your personality.

We can help!

If we arrange an interview for you then we will prepare you and give you as much information as possible in advance. You can ask us questions about the employer and what to wear, how to get there etc.

Need more job interview tips? We go into more detail about what to do BEFORE and AFTER here!

Here is some more information about our candidate service.