1. Be Friendly to Everyone
Since you left early, you hopefully arrived five or ten minutes early as well. Say hi to the employee who greets you! They may be able to give you some ideas about your interviewer…or help you learn how to pronounce their name, if they have a tricky one. Besides, you never know if they might become your co-worker soon, so why waste time when you could make friends? You’ll already know someone when you start on your first day!

2. Share What You Can Do For Us
You’ve met all of our requirements, and that’s great! However, we’d like to know what you’ll be bringing to fresh&easy beyond the right resume. Do you have ideas for how we could improve an area related to the job you’re applying for? Is there something you did at a previous job that was hugely successful that you might be able to make happen for us? These are the things we’re looking for. Don’t be afraid to bring in ideas! We love to see proactive thinking and enthusiasm.

3. Watch Your Body Language
There’s no perfect guide to body language, but pay attention to what you’re doing with your hands, where you’re looking, etc. Staring is rude, but leaning forward in your seat and engaging with the interviewer shows your interest! Try not to fiddle with your hair, glasses, jewelry, or clothing, and don’t be afraid to smile!

4. Slow Down
Many people talk too fast when they’re nervous or excited. Take a deep breath and slow down a bit! If you feel like you’re talking too slow you’re probably going at just the right tempo. Remember, we want to understand what you’re saying!

5. Ask Questions
Remember all that homework we told you to do while preparing for the interview? This is where it comes in handy! You know who we are, what we do, and what we’re looking for, but what DON’T you know? Ask us questions about the position, about our organization’s structure, about our corporate culture, and anything else you’d like to know. Having questions helps show off that you did your research as well as demonstrating interest and engagement!

Come join me as I host the following LinkedIn Workshop in conjunction with UCR’s Career Center:

LinkedIn: Network & Get Recruited featuring Fresh & Easy

Date: Mon, April 23, 2:00pm – 3:15pm
Location: HUB 260 at University of California, Riverside

Ever wonder how employers actually use social media to recruit? Here is your chance to learn how LinkedIn can help you network professionally and market yourself to prospective employers. A Social Recruiter from Fresh & Easy will provide tips on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile to increase your chances of getting contacted for potential job opportunities. You will also learn how to connect the right way and how to make the most of other LinkedIn features! Your job search can’t afford to miss these great insider tips. Featuring: Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market representatives and information about their internship program! Please RSVP.

One of the most popular posts these days is How I got here: A young professional’s journey to a job she loves.  I wanted to share with you one of the comments which included a question for Melanie, a Manager of Social Recruitment and Employment Branding at Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, Inc.  Melanie provided more great tips in her answer so I wanted to share it with you!  Hope you also find it helpful!

Dear Melanie Tom,
I absolutely loved this post! I cannot agree enough with you that internships are a valuable resource, not only to add to one’s resume, but also to contribute and enhance a person’s experiences and knowledge. In May I will be graduating so interviews and job searching are all that’s on my mind! My question to you is how you prepared for your interview at Disney? I notice that you said your credentials did not add up to other candidates’, so what do you think helped give you the upper hand in landing the job? What other factors do you think employers consider when interviewing applicants? 

I prepared for my Disney interview by doing my research and homework on The Walt Disney Company and specifically the actual segment (Disney Consumer Products) I was interviewing for so I could get a better understanding of the fundamentals of how the organization operates. Although I lacked the Business/HR acumen that Disney was seeking, I knew I could draw different examples on how my Sociology background and skills gained from my sorority were transferable in the business world. What ultimately gave me the upper hand was not just my solid examples of how I could translate my skills, but also my ambition and high drive; traits in which they were looking for in their ideal candidate.

Employers look for candidates that are articulate, ambitious, and passionate as they want to distinguish and identify individuals that will excel within the organization. If you possess those 3 qualities, you’re already captivating to Recruiters and Hiring Managers. Employers don’t want to hire individuals who are unmotivated to advance in their career or only want the job for the ‘time being’- employers do consider retention and turnover in their recruiting assessments. Lastly, another important factor employers consider is whether or not the candidate is a cultural fit to not just the team but the overall organization as a whole. It’s important that the newest addition to the team is a dynamic asset. Hope this helps and best of luck to you on your job search! Stay focus, and be sure to be confident! Feel free to connect with me via LinkedIn as well if you have any other questions! 

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read the post here: http://www.classycareergirl.com/2012/02/how-to-stand-out-in-a-job-interview/