2-1 Advice from a Hiring Manager As a hiring manager I’ve conducted hundreds of interviews over the years. I believe this puts me in a good position to offer advice about how to make the best possible impression at interview. First of all, it is a good idea to arrive early for the interview, but not too early. 10-15 minutes before your interview starts is ideal. Candidates often believe that they should arrive as early as possible for an interview. However, arriving too early can be inconvenient for the hiring manager, who may well be interviewing other candidates. Once you have arrived, make sure you’re polite to everyone you meet, especially the receptionist. As a hiring manager, I often check with the receptionist after interviews to find out which candidates were most polite. It is important to me that team members will get on well with everyone they work with. Another important tip is this: if the interviewer tries to make small talks with you (by talking about the weather for example), make sure you are friendly. I often ask candidates about how their journey was, as their response will tell me what they are like as a person. Finally, bring a copy of your résumé. So many candidates forget to mention important dates or qualifications. If you have your résumé in front of you, it can really help you to answer challenging questions. Follow this advice, research the job and the position and you’ll be in with a good chance of passing the interview. 13. Why does the writer always phone the receptionist after an interview?