You’ve perfected your resume, conducted mock interviews, researched the company and are ready to meet with the hiring manager. However, even when you’re prepared, the 15 minutes leading up to an interview can be nerve-racking. A recent article from Business Insider offers a helpful list of 15 things to do immediately before your first face-to-face meeting. Among them are:

• Arrive early, but wait outside until no more than 10 minutes before the time you’re scheduled to meet.
• Stay calm, and breathe.
• Avoid distractions, such as your phone.
• Focus on your posture and think happy thoughts to put you in the right state of mind.

For some of you, your cancer experience may be front-of-mind as you prepare for the interview; so in these last few minutes, in particular, it can help to remember the actual purpose of the interview: It’s an opportunity for the employer to determine whether your skills are a good fit for the job — and for you to see if the job is a good fit for your work needs and goals. 

Before you meet with the interviewer, review your notes and pick a few things that you want to be remembered for, such as your communication skills or your demonstrated ability to help your team achieve their goals. These types of characteristics and whether you possess them are the things that are most likely at the top of the interviewer’s mind.

In the event that your diagnosis or a gap on your resume is brought up, you’ll want to have prepared and practiced your answers to these questions. You’ll also want to be adept at using The Swivel, so that you can address the question and keep the conversation moving forward and focused on why you are the best candidate for the job.

For more information on interviewing, check the Looking for Work section of our website or download a free copy of our Job Search Toolkit.