Dress, documents and the interview day

Nobody is hired for a well-ironed shirt, but people are quietly marked down for a crumpled one. Remove the small reasons to say no.

What to wear

The aim is to look neat, sober and a little more formal than the daily dress of the workplace you are joining. When in doubt, be more formal.

• Men: a plain or lightly striped full-sleeved shirt in a light colour, dark trousers, a belt, dark socks and polished formal shoes. A tie or blazer for corporate, banking and client-facing roles, or where your college placement office advises it.
• Women: a simple salwar kameez or kurta with dupatta, a plain saree, or a formal shirt with trousers, in sober colours, with comfortable closed shoes or neat sandals. Hair tied or neatly set; light jewellery.
• For both: clothes clean and ironed, fitting properly; nails trimmed; hair combed; a mild deodorant, no strong perfume.

Avoid jeans, T-shirts, sports shoes, slippers, loud colours and prints, and heavy accessories, unless the employer has told you the dress is casual. For factory or site visits, closed shoes are essential.

Wear the outfit once beforehand to make sure it is comfortable to sit and walk in. New shoes and tight collars are a distraction you do not need.

What to carry

Put everything in a plain folder or file the evening before.

• Three or four printed copies of your resume.
• The interview call letter or email, printed or saved on your phone.
• Original certificates and mark sheets, with one set of photocopies: Class 10, Class 12, degree or diploma, and any others on your resume.
• Experience letters, relieving letter and recent pay slips, if you have worked.
• A government photo identity proof, and a photocopy.
• Two to four passport-size photographs.
• A pen that works, and a small notebook.
• Any portfolio, project report or work samples relevant to the job.

Hand over photocopies, not originals, unless the employer needs to see an original briefly for verification. Do not leave original certificates with any employer or agent as a condition of a job.

Reaching

• Check the address and route the day before. Allow extra time for traffic, security at the gate and finding the right floor.
• Arrive fifteen minutes early. If you are going to be late for a reason beyond your control, phone the contact person before the scheduled time.
• Switch your phone to silent before entering.
• Be polite to the guard, the receptionist and other candidates.
• Use the waiting time to settle yourself, not to scroll.

Entering the room

1. Knock, and ask, "May I come in?"
2. Greet the interviewer or panel: "Good morning, sir. Good morning, ma'am."
3. Wait to be asked to sit, then say thank you.
4. Place your file on your lap or the table edge, not spread across the interviewer's desk.
5. If a handshake is offered, return it firmly and briefly.

How you sit and speak

• Sit upright, a little forward, with both feet on the floor and your hands relaxed.
• Look at the person who is speaking. With a panel, look mainly at the one who asked and include the others now and then.
• Speak at a steady pace and loud enough to be heard easily.
• Use the language of the interview. If it is English and you are stuck for a word, pause and use a simpler one.
• Do not fidget with a pen, your phone or your hair. Do not chew gum.
• Listen to the end of each question.

Courtesies that are noticed

• "Sir" and "ma'am" are normal in Indian interviews; use them naturally, not in every sentence.
• Do not interrupt, argue or criticise a previous employer or teacher.
• If offered water or tea, it is fine to accept or decline politely.
• If you do not know an answer, say so plainly.
• At the end, thank the interviewers, collect your papers calmly, and leave the chair as you found it.

Nerves

Everyone is nervous; interviewers expect it and make allowance. A few things help: thorough preparation, arriving early, slow breathing while you wait, a sip of water, and remembering that the interview is a conversation between people who both want it to go well. The employer needs to fill the post as much as you need the job.

Walk-in interviews

For a walk-in drive, go early in the stated hours, expect a long wait, carry a snack and water along with all your documents, and be ready for a test and interview on the same day.

Questions people ask

Practise aloud with a timer

More guides

Common questions

Model answers are examples. They show the shape of a good answer, reviewed in November 2026. Use your own facts: an answer copied word for word will not survive a follow-up question. Employers differ, and nothing here promises selection. Names in the examples are invented.