We’ve written extensively in this blog about things you should do during the interview and after the interview. But of course, what you do before the interview is just as important, and some people may say that it’s even more important.
That’s because what you do prior to the interview is all about preparation. If you don’t prepare properly, then you may hurt your chances of getting the job. To put it another way: “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.”
And when it comes to your face-to-face interview, the last thing you want to do is perform poorly. With that in mind, below are seven things that you should do before your face-to-face interview:
#1—Get directions.
Yes, you might have GPS navigation on your smartphone, but why take chances? Don’t just fire up your GPS on the day of the interview. Find out the exact address and approximately how long it will take to get there. You might even consider a “dry run” beforehand, driving to the address on a day before the interview. You never know, there could be construction or other unexpected factors.
#2—Research the company.
You should know as much about the company as possible, and a lot of that information can be found on the company’s website. In today’s technological age, there is almost no excuse for a job seeker to not know anything about the company that’s interviewing them.
#3—Research the people who might be conducting the interview.
Your ability to do this might be somewhat limited, depending upon how much information is available. However, the company website and its social media channels could prove helpful. At the very least, research company officials at the same time you research the organization itself.
#4—Pour over your resume.
If you were a hiring manager, what questions would you ask? Which parts of the resume are strong? Which parts are weak? Be sure to address any weak areas before the day of the interview. Your resume is the blueprint from which company officials will operate.
#5—Pour over the job description.
Make sure that you know the description inside and out, including all of the prerequisites, requirements, and day-to-day duties. Ideally, you’ll want to line up what is on your resume with what the job description contains. That’s the easiest way to be considered a good fit for the position.
#6—Prepare to answer questions.
This is an interview, so of course, questions are going to be asked. You must be prepared to answer them.
In fact, you should be prepared to not just answer them, but to answer them well. You can start by reading this blog post: “Questions You’re Most Likely to be Asked During an Interview.”
#7—Prepare your own questions.
Not asking any questions during the interview is the “kiss of death.” You must have questions prepared and you must ask them. Keep in mind that you do not have to save all of your questions until the very end of the interview. If the opportunity arises, ask an appropriate question during the course of the interview. Pick and choose your spots. Also read this blog post: “5 Questions You Must Ask During the Interview Process.”
Time Staffing can help you with many aspects of your job search, including the face-to-face interview.

​The interview is one of the most important parts of the job search, if not THE most important. As evidence of that, we’ve devoted quite a few blog posts to the subject.
Obviously, your number-one goal as a job seeker is to land a job. Your number-two goal is to land an interview. That’s because you can’t get the job unless you get the interview.
Actually, let’s qualify that statement just a bit. You can’t get the job unless you both get the interview and then do well during it. And to do well during it, you must make a great impression.
Yes, you must also have the necessary skills, and yes, you must also have the experience for the position. But during the interview, your personality and character are analyzed, as well. There are many things for which hiring managers are looking.
With that in mind, THIS is the impression that you want to make during the interview:
#1—That you’re motivated
Believe it or not, being motivated is just half the battle. The other half is how you’re motivated. Companies want employees who are intrinsically motivated. They want people who motivate themselves every day, as opposed to being motivated by other people (or other things). So make sure that your motivation is on display.
#2—That you’re focused
Focus is a prerequisite for production. People who get distracted easily have difficulty finishing tasks and finishing them on time. Meeting deadlines is an important part of excelling in the workplace, and doing so requires focus. Those interviewing you will want to see if you display the focus that is necessary to meet deadlines and finish important projects.
#3—That you’re attentive
Companies do not want to hire people who daydream or who make a habit of not paying attention. This is especially the case if they’re hiring people to work with machinery, heavy or otherwise. They don’t want to hire people who will contribute to workplace accidents. So pay close attention to the questions that are being asked during the interview. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification on a question, but be sure not to “zone out” and miss a question altogether.
Making the right impression during the interview is very important in terms of landing a job. You must prove to the hiring officials that you have what it takes. And as we pointed out, that goes way beyond just the skills and experience necessary for the position.
Time Staffing can help you with many aspects of your job search, including your resume and the interview.

​We’ve discussed at length in this blog the many mistakes that job seekers can commit during the face-to-face interview. The mistakes we’re addressing in this post, though, are those that are committed before the interview even takes place.
So before we get too far, let’s identify those two mistakes:
Cancelling the face-to-face interview
Not showing up for the face-to-face interview
Now let’s address these two mistakes individually:
#1—Cancelling the interview
What we’re talking about here is cancelling at the very last minute (or last second, if you prefer). Of course, there are instances in which this is appropriate. For example, perhaps you were involved in an automobile accident and there was no way that you’d be able to make it to the interview in time. However, there are other instances in which it is not acceptable, including the following:
Another, more appealing employment opportunity becomes available.
You’ve lost interest in the position, for whatever reason.
You get “cold feet.”
People at the company at which you were about to interview structured their day around your interview. Cancelling the day of the interview or cancelling at the last minute isn’t going to leave them with a very good taste in their collective mouths. This is especially the case if you have NOT been in an automobile accident or experiencing some other kind of emergency situation.
#2—Not showing up for the interview (without cancelling)
As bad as #1 was, #2 is even worse. That’s because you didn’t call ahead to cancel the interview, even if it was just a few minutes before it was scheduled to begin. You didn’t show up at all.
So in this scenario, what’s going to happen? What are company officials going to think? Well, what do people usually think when they don’t have all of the information? (Or in this case, any of the information?) They’re going to gravitate to the worst-case scenario. Specifically, they’re going to think that you’re one of the following or a combination thereof:
Lazy
Inconsiderate
Unprofessional
Cowardly
Uncaring
None of those adjectives is particularly flattering. You’ve basically made the worst impression that you could possibly make. At least if you had shown up for the interview, you would have proven yourself dependable. And even cancelling at the last minute, while certainly not a saving grace, is better than committing this mistake.
The rule for this situation is pretty straightforward: if you have an onsite interview scheduled, then show up for that interview!
Yes, maybe another, more appealing job has become available. Sure, perhaps you have “cold feet” or you figure that you’re not going to get the job, anyway, why show up at all?
You show up because you have made a commitment to show up. By not honoring that commitment, you’re in danger of “burning bridges.” And if you’re working with a staffing agency, then that staffing agency looks bad, too. As a result, is that agency going to be eager to work with you again? You probably already know the answer to that question.
Avoid these two huge interview mistakes. Keep your commitment and show up for the interview.