Finding a job can be stressful. Before you are offered the position, you’ve not only got to search for positions that are suitable for you and available right now, but you need to craft the perfect application and then hope that you’re going to get invited for an interview. But even if you’ve managed to reach this stage in the recruitment process, there’s no guarantee that you are going to walk out of the office as the company’s newest employee.

Interviews are a chance for the employer to check you out and see if you are a good fit for the job, just as much as they are for you to get a feel for the workplace, find out more about the position and decide if it’s really the best one for you. But with the job market more competitive than ever right now, wowing your interviewers is not always easy.

There’s a lot to think about when it comes to standing out from the crowd and the first impression that you make can make or break your results. So, here are some of the best things to do if you really want to stand out and leave your potential employer eager to get you hired.

Dress to Impress:

Even if you’re interviewing for somewhere that typically enjoys a casual style of dress in the office, you want to put some effort into your appearance. Looking clean and sharp, and smelling fresh can make a huge amount of difference to the first impression that your future employer forms of you when you walk through the door.

Get a feel for what employees wear when they are working at the office by looking at the company’s LinkedIn profile or website or checking out the people when they come out for lunch on a weekday. Then choose your outfit to align with what’s expected at that particular workplace but smarten it up a little bit for the interview.

Accessories that stand out from the crowd and make a great impression on people like a certified Tag Heuer watch can be a great choice for a job interview. Check out Chronext to browse a wide range of designer watches to suit all price ranges. Chronext stocks a variety of coveted brands like Rolex and Tag Heuer along with budget-friendly designer options too.

Do Your Homework:

Now you look the part, but sadly you’re not going to get very far if you walk into the interview with no idea about the job or the company that you are interviewing for. You will certainly impress your potential employer if you turn up to the interview armed with a great knowledge of the position itself and the company as a whole. And the good news is that today, most companies have a strong online presence, so doing your research on them and finding out as much as you can should not be too difficult.

Head to their website to find out more about what they do, what their mission and values are, and what their main company goals are for the future. While you don’t have to come in as an expert on the company, having done some research beforehand shows that you are keen and have initiative.

Show a Genuine Interest:

Potential employers can certainly tell the difference between somebody who is interviewing because they want any old job, and somebody who is genuinely interested in the company itself and the position that they are applying for. Even if your main motivations for applying are because you need a job – after all, that’s most of us, right? – it’s important to determine what excites you the most about the position and think about which parts of working there you are going to enjoy the most and mention this during the interview.

If you’re not really bothered about what the organisation does and are only in it to get paid, this is going to be obvious in your interview and you’ll probably lose the position to somebody who showed at least a little bit of genuine interest and passion.

Something must have drawn you to apply for this job over the others, so before your interview, spend a little bit of time considering what that is, why you are interested in it, and why you think the role will be a good fit for you.

Be Positive:

A positive, can-do attitude is sure to get anybody far in their career, and demonstrating this during your interview process is likely to heighten your appeal to your potential employers. Let’s face it, hunting for a job can be exhausting and even demotivating if you keep getting kicked back after making applications or turned down after being interviewed. In some cases, the reasons behind your job hunt might not be happy ones. But the reality is that you only get a short amount of time to impress your potential employer during the interview stage. Even if you’re applying for a job because you’re in a tight financial spot or you’ve found yourself in unexpected circumstances, there are ways to put a positive spin on it and let your resilience and fight shine through.

Even if you’re currently having a terrible day or you’re interviewing because you want to leave your current terrible job behind, keep your grievances out of your interview. It’s always better to reschedule than go into an interview when you’re in a bad mood.

Make a Good Impression on Everybody:

Many people make the mistake of thinking that the only person that they need to make a good impression on when they go for a job interview is the person that is sitting across the table from them, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, a successful candidate is usually the person who has had a positive impact on everybody that they met or spoke to during the process from the person who arranged the interview to the receptionist who checked you in when you arrived.

No matter who you meet from the organisation, regardless of their job role or whether or not you’re interacting in-person, do your best to make a positive impression and imagine that everybody plays a part in deciding whether or not you get hired. After all, people in workplaces do talk and if word gets back that you were rude to the admin guy on the phone, your chances of getting hired might get slimmer, even if you had a stand-out interview.

Be Confident:

Finally, remember that no matter what happens, there’s always something good that can come out of interview. Be confident in yourself and your abilities and let this shine through during the process. Being secure in what you know that you can offer the company and the past experience you have gained will make a positive impression on your interviewers. And understand that even if you are not offered the job role at the end, the entire interviewing process can be used for good in the future as a learning curve for your next one.

Today, getting a job is more competitive than ever and if you have a job interview lined up, it’s your one chance to make an impression that holds a lot of weight for your future.