Tips to Impress a Staffing Recruiter

In so many areas of our life, timing in key, whether that’s hitting all the green traffic lights or catching the bus before it pulls away. When the timing is good, things seem to flow better. On the other hand, we’ve all experienced those days when everything feels a little off. At times like this it’s easy to feel as if you can’t catch up in your own life. When you’re in the midst of one of those days everything seems to require a bit more time and effort than it normally would.

The level of distress described above is comparable to what a staffing recruiter feels when potential candidates arrive for an interview much earlier than expected. In some cases, these arrivals can be as much as an hour too early, but what candidates may not realize is that a too-early arrival is actually a negative start to an interview before it even begins.

Find the Happy Medium

Although it may appear that an exceptionally early arrival signifies eagerness and interest, in reality it can be a stressor to the recruiter. Most staffing recruiters schedule interviews around other critical work. When candidates show up too early, it can cause confusion within the office schedule, throwing off the day of the recruiter and their staff.

Similar to arriving at a party before the host is ready, an early arrival can cause unintentional stress. In most cases, arriving for an interview 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment is perfect. This allows time for a couple of minutes to sit quietly and relax before beginning the interview.

Tips for Final Interview Preparations

• Locate the best route to the interview location
• Have a copy of your spell-checked and grammatically correct resume with you
• Bring a list of at least three business-related references
• Arrive to the location 20 minutes before the scheduled interview
• Leave your phone and other distractions (food and drink) in the car
• Greet and be friendly to all you meet on the way into the interview
• Report for the interview 10-15 minutes before the scheduled time
• Check a mirror for final wardrobe tweaks
• Take a series of slow, deep breaths to relax the mind and body
• Smile and recall a pleasant memory
• Relax knowing your interview preparations are complete

While each of these final preparations can appear insignificant when considered by itself, in total these steps can provide a great way to prepare for every interview. Incorporating the steps can go a long way in determining if an appointment will create a good impression that could lead to being called for a more in-depth second interview or instead leave a less-than-desirable negative impression. The more familiar you become with these preparation tips and practice them, the easier and more comfortable the interview process will become.

This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City, a full-service Kansas City employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire and temporary employment placement services.