I have spent the last week doing interviews for a formula room technician position at our hospital. As one of these RDs at our hospital, we help to oversee that formula room area and help with the hiring process. This has been a great opportunity to get some management experience. I also think that using formula technicians/diet technicians is a must for that job and helps bring the skill level in that area up to par. I believe that the chance to interview for a job is a great opportunity to practice how you introduce yourself, communicate with people you don't know and to answer questions in a polished way. I think that even if you are interviewing for a position is a great opportunity to get practice with first impressions. Being good in an interview takes practice!

I thought that I would share some tips that I think might help people when it comes to interviewing well. Obviously, these opinions are all my own and would apply to my area of practice, dietetics in a hospital setting.

Arrive on time. Make sure that you know exactly where you are going and give yourself plenty of time. It is better to sit in the car or lobby for a few moments before the interview, rather than rushing and arrive late. Plus it shows the people you are interviewing with, that you will be a reliable employee.
Dress professionally. Also dress to impress! Make sure that you are wearing business professional clothes, closed toed shoes and tights/hose with a dress. There is nothing worse than being too casual. It is always better to be over dressed and make an impression that you are serious about this job than under dress, which can come off negatively.
Shake hands and smile. When you enter and leave the interview space, thank the people that are interviewing you and shake their hands. Make this a firm, confident hand shake. Also remember not to be seated until the person that has brought you into the room sits or gestures for you to sit down.
Ask questions. Stay engaged with the interview. Think of questions to ask ahead of time and this shows a level of interest/engagement with the interviewer. This also allows the interview team to get to know you. It is hard to some one to make a decision about you if you don't speak up and least carry on a conversation.
Be proud of who you are and what you want to accomplish. Take yourself seriously and be proud of what you have accomplished. This is different than bragging or boasting. Play up your skills and really sell yourself, because this interview team will make a decision based on ~30 minutes of time with you.
Send a thank you note. Follow up with whomever you interview and send a thank you note. It is amazing how many people don't take the time to do this! An email would work, but ideally a hand written note goes a long way! Out of 5 interviews we did last week we got 1 thank you via email. That one person that took the time to say thank you will be remembered.

Good luck with your next interview and take the time to enjoy it. This is a great learning opportunity and hopefully things will work out and you will land that job.