9 Ways to Nail Your Next Job Interview and Where the Jobs are in Connecticut

You forgot your a copy of your resume, you spilled coffee on your already wrinkled dress shirt, you're unprepared and late— chances are you probably won't land that dream job if that describes you. But what can you do if you're nervous before the interview? Ziprecruiter.com offers tips on how not to freak out so you can nail that job interview (and we share a few strategies of our own).

1. Do Your Research Ahead of Time: Finding out about the company ahead of time is critical to making a good impression. Knowing what the company is all about will give you ideas for questions to ask, and tell you what sort of candidate they are looking for.

2. Dress For Success (and appropriately): You've heard it before— "You only have one chance to make a first impression." What you should wear can vary depending on the company and position you’re applying for but the safest bet if you're unsure is to go with more business and less casual— nothing low-cut, too short or revealing.

3. Show Up Early: One of the biggest pet peeves of many hiring managers is a candidate showing up late. Not only does it push back all of the interviews scheduled after yours, it says a lot about your work ethic. If you can't make it on time to the job interview, you probably won't be on time for work. Getting there early means you’ll have time to find parking, check your hair (and teeth) and take a moment to find your "ohm."

4. Be Confident (but not cocky): You’ve done your research, look great, arrived early and you’re ready. Be confident, but not cocky. Use eye contact but not too much— that's creepy.

5. Be Positive: Don't throw your old boss or coworker under the bus. Don't trash talk. It's a small world and you just never know how small it really is. Find something positive to say about your previous employer because everything can be taken as a learning experience— good or bad.

And here are a few more tips from someone who previously worked as a hiring manager (me) in restaurants and retail for 10 years:

6. Know What Questions to Ask: When the hiring manager asks if you have any questions, ask about the company, not about the perks. Leading with questions like, "How much does it pay?" or "What are the benefits?" or "How much paid time off will I get?" show your concern is for yourself rather than the company. Those questions can be asked after you've landed the job.

7. Don't Call the Hiring Manager to Ask for Directions (especially after you're already late): This falls under the "be prepared" tip above. A candidate I once interviewed called to say he was running 15 minutes late, then called 30 minutes later to ask for directions, then called back insisting I gave him the wrong directions. In this day and age, most people have a GPS in their car and/or on their phones. Needless to say this young man did not get the job and was not happy about it. Which leads me to.....

8. Don't Stalk the Hiring Manager After You Didn't Get the Job: The best impression to make with a hiring manager is the one you leave them with. So you failed at the first impression? You still have a chance to redeem yourself in the "Thank You" letter. Don't call and ask why exactly you didn't get the job. When you receive your rejection letter take it as a learning tool, not a personal dig or a reason to call and email the hiring manager repeatedly demanding to know why you were rejected.

9. Watch the 'Tude, Dude: The young man described above, while he had talent and experience, had a huge chip on his shoulder and a sense of entitlement. Someone who is cocky instead of humble, grateful instead of demanding and calm instead of argumentative has a 100 percent chance of landing the job over a person with a bad attitude.

So where are all of the jobs in Connecticut? Search the top jobs across the state on Ziprecruiter.com. The top trending categories for job searches are below. Click the links to search for your next dream job and good luck nailing the interview!

• Business
• Transportation and Storage
• Class A Trucking
• Health Care
• Sales
• Nursing
• Technology
• Retail
• Finance and Insurance
• Retail Store

Photo by Bryce Wilson via Flickr Creative Commons