Most employers have their own expectations of candidates, and sometimes these are not always made explicit. If you do not meet employer expectations, you may be jeopardising good opportunities. The following nine guidelines will help you conform to standard protocol expectations with employers.

Timeliness

If you are late for an interview, no matter how valid your reason, you may promote a generalised sense of your inability to plan and prepare for the unexpected. You may also indirectly make false impressions about your respect for the valuable time of the people interviewing you. It is of course better to build in anextra 15 minutes and walk around the building once or twice than to arrive late.

Rambling

Be mindful of the amount of time scheduled for the meeting. If it is indicated you will have about 45 minutes, try to honour that allocation. Do not glance at your watch during the interview, as this may appear rude, but do try to gauge the progress of time.

Body language

A surprising number of candidates slouch, instead of sitting upright during interview. Good posture can project energy and enthusiasm. Additionally, the inability to look directly into the interviewer's eyes probably will be interpreted as a lack of professionalism or -- worse yet -- a lack of honesty. It has been suggested that up to 15% of executive candidates lie on job applications. The penalty by many employers for an untruth is immediate dismissal.

Assertiveness

While you may have reservations about calling to learn if a decision has been made, some organisations view such calls as a positive. It can be an indication of initiative. Most companies favour assertive people who call for feedback following the meeting.

Preparedness

Ensure you ask questions on occasion rather than solely answering them continuously. Better yet, try to make your answers show that you have taken time to learn about the company. Indicate that you are not just looking for a job, but that you are looking for a job with this particular employer.

Professionalism

Make sure your resume and cover letters are neat and clean. Check them for typos and an improper tone. The things that often catch an employer’s eye in a cover letter are accuracy and professionalism.

Thanks

You have a better chance of making a favorable impression with a note thanking the interviewers. It has been suggested that more than 76% of employers like receiving a post-interview thank you note, but only 36% of applicants write them. A thank you note need not be long or detailed. A simple handwritten message on plain paper or an email will often suffice. Thank the interviewers for their time, offer to provide any additional material as required, and say that you look forward to working for the company, and enjoyed meeting them.

Politeness

Interviewers will occasionally ask the receptionist, following the interview, how the candidate behaved when he or she came in the front door. Of course, you should always be polite, but you should be especially polite to the front office staff, in case they are asked to give their impressions of you.