Got advice for an walk-in applicant

You want to project the image of a perfect employee. Be properly dressed, with a fresh haircut and shined shoes. Stand and sit up straight with good posture. A slightly conservative appearance is far better than being too casual, or eccentric. Have a firm handshake at the beginning and ending of your presentation. Look the interviewer in the eye, but don't get into a staring contest. You need to appear confident and able to successfully handle any problem that comes your way; just avoid being too cocky.

Be prepared with a good-looking resume. You'll probably have to fill out the firm's application, and your resume will help make that go well. Have a list of references in your pocket, or portfolio, in case they are requested. Know what position you are best suited for, and ask for that position. Your resume should reflect your preparation and ability to successfully perform the job.

Your appearance which will be taken in and judged within a few seconds can either kill your chances, or give you an important edge. Expect your interview begins when you pull into the parking lot, and only ends after you've driven away. Typically, you will be "on stage" for between an hour and two hours per interview. Make every second work in your favor.

Unaccented standard middle-English is most acceptable. Avoid cliches and don't babble. Listen, and respond directly to questions. The employer doesn't want to know your entire history from cradle to the present, so stick with relevant and brief responses. Let your responses show your intelligence, insight and capacity for clear and concise communications.

There are three primary phases in most interviews. The Introductory Phase, lets sets the stage for everything to follow. Your appearance, handshake and confidence are critical at this phase. Interviewers sometimes like to lessen the tension by indulging in small talk. If that's what they want, then give it to them ... but keep it brief. It doesn't hurt to find a common ground between yourself and the interviewer. Sharing a fraternity or college can be the straw that tips the job in your favor. If the interviewer tends to ramble, you need to take control and bring the subject back to the job at hand. This is where knowing as much as possible about the company, its culture and products as possible. If you don't know anything about the potential employer, then its much more difficult to convince a personnel employee to put you on their short list.

Phase II, is the body and bulk of most interviews. The interviewer probably has a number of questions related to the job and the sort of candidate they hope to find. Listen, and frame your answers accordingly. Here is a good place, I suppose, to caution you never, ever, ever lie or misrepresent yourself. Do that and even if you get the job, it will ultimately destroy you. Don't do it, no matter how tempting it might be. Employers want employees of good character, who get along well with others, and are ready, able and willing to do the job.

There are two sorts of job related questions. First, are the questions to determine if you have the expertise to do the work. "How would you connect a zeeloft to a kranken?" Either you will know the answer, or you won't. Don't guess, but if you make a small error in a relatively complicated process it's alright to correct yourself. "Oops, I forgot to mention that the X-12 seal has to be installed face up." The second sort of question may not have any definite answer. "Your Boss tells you to do something that you believe is incorrect. What would you do; (a) Do it the way you were told, (b) Do it the way you believe it should be done, (c) Refuse to do the job until the matter is clarified, (d) Correct the boss." The question begs for the candidate to elaborate, so briefly justify your answer. If the interviewer challenges your answer, don't back away from your initial response. This is the sort of question where you show that you can stick to a decision. BTW, (a) and (b) tend to be the preferred answers to this particular question, and either can be argued successfully.

Phase II can last for anything from a few minutes, to over an hour. Generally, you should figure around an hour. That limits the number of questions and responses possible. If you spend most of your time on a single question, other questions will go unasked. The interviewer has already prepared a "game plan" for the interview; don't disappoint them. If they have a lot of questions, be really brief. If their questions are minimal, don't succumb to the temptation to get elaborate (rambling is a negative).

The interviewer will often signal Phase III, the close, by asking the applicant if they have any questions, or anything to say that will help the employer to make a decision. Personally, I'm doubtful whether asking any of the obvious questions at this point will be of much help. You should already know the basic job requirements, the standard entry-level salary, and the sort of business you are interviewing with. If there is anything that hasn't been covered in the interview that enhances your desirability, now is the time to tell it. Keep it short and to the point. Here is a very successful boilerplate close that has been effective for many in the past.

"I only ask for the opportunity to demonstrate that I am ready, able and capable of doing the job the way you want it done." Make sure the interviewer has a copy of your resume, stand, give a firm handshake and exit. Remember you're still "on-stage" until you are out of the parking lot.

The first candidate interviewed will set a standard against which others will be judged. An outstanding first candidate starts with a clear advantage, but the more candidates interviewed, the more likely the first candidate will be forgotten. The last candidate before lunch, or the first after lunch, are in generally bad slots. An interviewer anxious to meet his girlfriend for lunch may not be as easily impressed, and a full-stomach often means a certain the interviewer is drowsy. The final candidate may facing an interviewer who is dead tired and would give anything to just go home and have a beer. If you are aware of how these time slots can affect the interview, you should be able to adjust your presentation accordingly.

You can be turned down a hundred times, but you only have to get your first entry-level job to begin a career. Good luck, and good hunting.

"Hi. I'm ________ and I'd like to apply for a job with your company. Can you help me?

This may be too late, but...

It sounds like you may mean that you are walking in to apply at stores, like retail stores, and if that's the case, you should really not try to engage the manager in a conversation right then and there, unless he/she initiates it. I was a store manager for some time, and it always drove me nuts when applicants would try to talk to me in person or on the phone, while I had customers in the store because it becomes obvious that you don't understand that customer service is a top priority.

So, just dress professionally, research the company before you go, have an application completed (you can usually get them online) and a resume, and let the manager know that you are interested in arranging a time when the two of you can talk about your possible future within that company.

Good luck!