We want you to succeed as much as you do. Follow the tips below to ensure your best chance of being hired during your interview.
1. Don’t be late.
Ideally you want to show up to your interview 10-15 minutes early. Let the receptionist know you have an appointment with the person you are meeting. Most positions are confidential so telling the receptionist you have an appoint with the person you are interviewing with should be sufficient. Be patient if the interviewer is running a little late and makes you wait a few minutes. If you cannot find your interviewer or the receptionist says the person is unavailable please call your recruiter immediately so that we can make sure they know you are there in the case that the receptionist or staff did not have the right information.
If you are running late or cannot make the interview please call your recruiter immediately so they can inform the hiring manager.
2. Dress professionally.
In general, it is better to be slightly overdressed than it is to be under-dressed. First impressions are everything so dress neatly and make yourself presentable.
For men: Formal suit, dress shirt, dress shoes, tie. Sometimes dressy slacks and sport coat are acceptable alternatives for a business suit. Depending on the company and climate, a dress shirt without an outer garment may be acceptable.
For women: Business suit with skirt, blazer, blouse, dress shoes. Pants are also acceptable. A conservative dress may be substituted for a suit.
DO NOT WEAR jeans, sneakers, tank tops, shorts, flip flops, graphic tees, ripped, or dirty clothing
If you smoke we recommend not smoking right before your interview
If you are unsure of what to wear to your interview ask us, we are here to help!
3. Do your research on the company you are interviewing with and the position you are interviewing for.
Make sure to look at the company website and familiarize yourself with the organization. If the dealership is part of a larger dealer group, be familiar with what stores they have and where they are located. If the company is family owned and operated, who started the company and how did it evolve? How long has the person you are interviewing with been with the company? What type of culture do they have? Your recruiter can be an excellent resource to this information and give you the inside scoop on what they are looking for in the successful candidate and the history of the company so listen and don’t be afraid to ask your recruiter questions leading up to your interview!
4. Speak in a positive manner.
Never badmouth former employers or coworkers. Yes they may have been awful but you’re on a professional interview, not having a candid conversation with your best friend. Try to turn the negatives into a positive and brush them off. If your former boss was a maniac and screaming all the time you can simply state “it was a very volatile work environment, lots of yelling and screaming that I did not want to involve myself in.” You do not need to start rambling on about specific examples.
Never bring up money, benefits, or vacation time in the first interview unless the interviewer initiates the conversation. Focus on getting the job first, the compensation plan will likely work itself out. However, be sure to let your recruiter know what you are looking for and if there are any extenuating circumstances (i.e you already have a week vacation booked 3 months from now, you require Tuesdays off due to custody arrangements, etc.) your recruiter can tell you the best way to present this to your interviewer or bring it up to the company so that you don’t have to initiate it. Likewise, your recruiter can let you know if your compensation expectations match the position or are unrealistic for the given role.
5. Be excited about the position, smile and be sure to make good eye contact!
Stress your qualifications let them know you have the skill set and abilities to do the job. If you have any recent documentation of your achievements bring them. For example, if your CSI is 98% bring the scorecard to show your interviewer. If you brought gross up from 125k last year to 185k this year, bring the documents to show your YOY progress. If you took the store from selling 70 vehicles per month to 130 vehicles per month show the report from the factory. Don’t overload them with a folder of 100 papers but let them know that you brought the documentation to prove your track record and are happy to share it.
6. Don’t assume that you are “friends” with the interviewer and become too casual.
You are at the interview applying for a job. Be professional. You may have interests similar to the interviewer which can be great to relate to and touch upon, but you do not want to end up chatting the whole time about things that are not related to the position so that the hiring manager runs out of time and ends up thinking “I liked the candidate personally, but I’m not sure if they are capable of the job.”
7. Say “Thank You” at the end of your interview.
Stress your interest in the job and ask if there is anything else that the interviewer may need from you. After your interview, send a brief thank you note to the hiring manager for their time and again stress your interest in the position and joining the company. If you are unsure what to write, you can always ask your recruiter for advise.
Lastly, focus on getting the job and being the best you that you can be!