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By Meagan, June. 1. 2010 15:15

May was a delightful month of guest bloggers. I was very excited to present each writer, each week.  I feel that even I learned new things, so I hope you got something from the posts, too.  As you can tell, it’s June and I’m back.  While it’s been nice to take a break from worrying about what I should write, it feels go to jump right into the usual swing of things.  With that typed, I give you this week’s post.

Since I last published a post a lot has taken place.  I’m now back in San Diego, CA and am interning for a new, start-up, conference company – Global Strategic Management Institute (GSMI).  As I was walking away from my interview I realized that there were differences between past interviews and now. I’d like to share some of those realizations with you now.

Stressing the Dress

I am not referring to an actual dress, but the dress code in general.  I admit I still don’t have the perfect business fashion sense that I would like to have, but I am improving.  In preparing for this interview I knew I wanted to dress in a way that said “man she looks like she knows what she’s doing.”  Yet, I wanted it to have equally say “Meagan.” Isn’t that what we all want?  Of course, that’s always easier said than done.

Let’s face it, especially for girls, in order to make a great first impression at your interview you may go through several shirts or outfits.  While it can be frustrating, give yourself the time to find the perfect outfit the night before and you’ll feel a lot better.  It allows you to go through that time-consuming process of changing multiple times in order to make a decision.  Furthermore, it does lower the stress of running late the day of your interview because of indecision.  By keeping your stress level down you’re improving the chances of feeling more confident during the actual interview.  When you look good, you feel good!

Other Prep Details

In addition to having a good-looking outfit, one should maintain a minimal level of hygiene.  While some things about your appearance are not quite in your control, there are procedures you can take to still look your best.

*Clean up your hands: keep nails filed nicely, clean up any nail polish and wash them to prevent any unusual smells from objects you might have touched.

*Groom your hair: Guys this means trim your facial hair, so it’s not messy and wild.  Girls style your hair in a way that will not be a distraction for you or the interviewer.  Most importantly – keep your hair out of your face! (Otherwise it interferes with eye contact).

*Get rid of bad breath: If you are going straight to your interview, definitely brush your teeth before you go there.  A fresh smile is always helpful.  If you are out and about before hand, then at least try to have some sort of breath refresher you can use before hand.  If you use gum, make sure to spit it out before the interview.

*Check your general odor: It is important to be conscious of how you smell because it can affect other’s perceptions of you.  Note that overpowering good smells can be just as bad as B.O.

The Finishing Touches

There are just a few more things one should keep in mind before walking into the office.

1) Make sure you’ve done your research on the company.  It helps to know about the company you’re planing to work for.  You’re going to be asked about your experiences – find ways to tie what you know how to do with what the company is looking for and needs.

2) Have a copy of your resume.  It is good to have a hard copy, printed on thicker paper.  This looks professional and it makes it easier to refer to your experience (especially since most resumes are submitted electronically nowadays).

3) Everyone gets nervous, it’s expected.  The question is can you pull yourself together and be confident? When walking into the interview with confidence, you are already showing your ability to be calm and collected.

I may not be an expert on the interview process.  However, through the course of my four years of interviewing for part-time jobs or internships I have come to realize the importance of the pre-interview process.  Best of luck to you all with any future interviews!