The world contains over 7 billion people. Chances are, at least 7 persons are aspiring for what you are aspiring for. Resources ( jobs) are scarce, hence there is the need to allocate the limited resources to the one that can utilize them the most.

Every industry has its own rules, jargon and guidelines. It is proper for you to acquaint yourself with the little etiquette that job interviews require. This might be the only distinguishing factor between you and the person sitting next to you at the interview.

Thank God your application has been considered. You have been applying with little or no success. The call to interview is an opportunity to show the employer that you are what you said on paper and much more. However, little things could jeopardize your chance of securing the job.

Employers usually have tons of applications to go through every now and then. Some of whom are more qualified than you. Hence, they are looking for means to cut down the stress.

In addition, the work environment is different from the normal environment you are acquainted with. Certain behavioral patterns have to be shown. Since the interviewers do not reside with you before now, the only way they could identify these desired traits is what they can see during the interviews.

Some interview etiquette

1. Calmness: There is the temptation to be hypersensitive during interviews. Your adrenaline could betray you sometimes and make your anxiety very palpable. But what you need above all else is your calmness. This will ensure that you don’t knock off the water during the interview. It also present a sense of maturity and makes it difficult for the interviewers to read your weaknesses.

2. Be a polite guest: Have you ever see a situation where someone comes to your house for the first time and started rearranging your house for you? It does happen; and that is a trait of a rude guest. Be careful not to be a commando in the interview room. Do not sit until you are asked to do so. And remember to thank them afterwards. Do not remove your smelly shoes in the interview room for any reason. Laugh with them if they throw some jokes your way. Put on a calm and polite disposition-they don’t care about the fact that you were jobless for years. Be a polite guest.

3. Avoid lies: Have you ever met some terrible liars? They are liars and they are stupid at the same time. Imagine someone telling you she has a Ph.D in English and cannot express herself in the simplest term in same. Do not lie to your interviewers. Some of them have interviewed so many people and they literally know what you would say next. A lady lost a job just because she said she could play chess. The interviewer brought out chess, gave her the black pieces and asked her to play first. She did and she lost the job. Be honest and be yourself.

4. Dress for the occasion: Ever heard the saying “dress the way you want to be addressed?” Well, it is almost a universal truth. Dressing scores you high at the interviews. However, you don’t have to put on luxury cloths. All you need to do is dress simple and smart.