So your resume has been screened by two or three people and you may have had a telephone interview. Now you're invited to an in-person interview and you're a little unsure if you need to do anything other than turn up.

As a recruiter I see lots of candidates failing at this first interview stage as they are ill prepared and haven't done the basics such as taking a pen and a pad or researched the business you're interviewing with.

Below you can see some general interview tips to consider when preparing for the interview, things to do during the interview and then process to follow once you've left the building.

Prior to the interview

• Dress appropriately for the role - this will generally be business formal. Best that you overdress than under-dress
• Take a copy of your resume/CV, pen & pad, and anything relevant to the position such as certifications and sales reports showing your achievements
• Please ensure that you research the organization's website and any other associated news about the company thoroughly to familiarize yourself with the business and the services they offer
• Please allow for delays so you’re not late for the interview as this often gets the interview off on the wrong foot. Aim to arrive in plenty of time but only head in around ten minutes ahead of interview time - much earlier and it can look like poor planning
• In the event that you get caught in traffic or something holds you up enough to make you late, communicate with the recruiter or interviewer as soon as you can. DON'T wait until ten minutes before your interview is supposed to begin

During the interview

• Relate your experience to their business such as trade lane, vertical and modal experience
• Keep eye contact with those speaking to you
• When responding, talk to everyone on the other side of the table rather than targeting your response only to the person who prompted your response
• At the end of the interview, as in a sales environment, state your positive interest
• Find out if they have any reservations about you, then overcome the objections one by one if they do
• Find out the next step in the process. i.e. ‘If I was successful today, when would you like me/someone to start?’

Post interview

• Call the recruiter as soon as you can after the interview to give feedback. If the recruiter receives a call from their client shortly after the interview but they can't give them your feedback, it can look as though you're not overly keen on the role
• Send a follow up email to the person/people you met thanking them for their time and stating your positive interest once more - this is extremely important and the kind of professionalism your potential employer will expect, and be impressed by. If you don't have their direct contact details, send it to your recruiter to pass on
• Wait with your fingers crossed!

So there you have it, hopefully you've picked up a couple of ideas that will help you stand out from the crowd and help secure your next role!