Eight No-Brainers for In-Person Interviews That You Must Get Right

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You might think that in-person interviews are a thing of the past, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. While much of the recruitment process is now takes place over video, the final rounds are still almost always done face-to-face.

Consider the in-person interview as the final boss of recruitment. You can’t win the game without acing it.

Here are eight things that might seem obvious - but you absolutely need to get them right each and every time you interview in person.

1. Get there on time

This one sounds like an obvious no-brainer, and it should be. If you can’t adequately plan to arrive on time, why should a hiring manager trust you to handle critical business functions?

Excuses such as “my train was late” or “I couldn’t find parking” just won’t cut it, especially if you’re expecting a sizeable salary in a field that’s all about anticipating problems such as Supply Chain or Logistics.

My advice is: get to the area early and find a nearby coffee shop to sit in until it’s time for your meeting. Arriving early will also help you calm any pre-interview nerves. Better to be prepared than to rush.

2. BUT don’t show up too early

Look, I know some of you are eager to make a good impression. However, turning up early and loitering in reception can look and feel awkward.

Time it so you walk in the door, say, 5 minutes early. Anything more, and it looks like you’ve got nowhere else to be.

3. Dress and groom appropriately

Here, your job is to demonstrate two things. The first is that you are taking the interview seriously and treating it with the right amount of respect. The second is that you look like you’ll fit in.

So, make sure you are presentable. Style your hair properly and, if you’re a man, keep any facial hair tidy. Wear anti-perspirant. If the meeting is later in the day, make sure you brush your teeth beforehand – onion breath from lunch is never going to leave a great impression.

Make sure your clothes are clean, ironed, and appropriate for a business meeting. Choose your outfit with the interview in mind, not to show off your amazing fashion sense.

Remember, if you need advice on appropriate interview attire for a particular workplace, ask your recruiter.

4. Go easy on the scent

Some interviews take place in big expansive boardroom. More often, they’ll be in smaller offices or meeting rooms.

Strong perfume or cologne is a no-no, as it’s hard for an interviewer to look on a candidate favourably when they are struggling to breathe.

If you are going to wear fragrance, choose something calming rather than exciting, and use half your usual amount.

5. Be polite to everyone you meet

This falls under the category of “being a decent human being.”

It goes without saying that you should treat everyone at the company you are applying for with decency and respect, regardless of their role or job title. That includes reception staff, security staff, the person who offers you water, and anyone you run into inside a lift.

If, for whatever reason, this doesn’t come as second nature to you, remember: hiring managers talk to everyone you encounter during the process.

6. Arrive prepared

Pre-interview prep is a topic for a series of posts all of its own. Here, I’m talking about the things you need to bring with you on the day.

If you have presentation materials on a laptop, make sure you have a charger and a video adapter (usually HDMI).

Take a backup copy of your presentation on a USB– just in case.

As old-fashioned as it sounds, printed versions of your CV are a must. They can serve as a handy reference point for both you and the interviewer. Bring a copy for everyone in the meeting, and one or two extra just in case.

Also, it’s good to have a packet of breath mints in your pocket or bag. (See “onion breath” above.)

7. Stay. Off. Your. Phone.

This one holds true from the moment you enter the building to the moment you leave.

No social media, no YouTube videos, no voice messages, no phone calls.

Nothing good can come of any of these things while you’re in an interview situation.

The only exception is if you get a message from your interviewer.

Otherwise, stay off your phone. Use the time to be present and focussed.

8. Don’t relax until you’re well and truly out the door

Some candidates forget that they’re still making an impression even after the interview ends. It’s important that you don’t do the same.

Make sure you thank everyone who was in the meeting. Offer to help clean up any water glasses or coffee cups you used during the interview. Put your chair back neatly.

And say a polite goodbye to the reception staff as you leave.

If you’re not sure when you can relax and let your guard down, a good rule of thumb is to wait until you’re at least 500 metres away from the interviewer’s office.

If that seems excessive to you, let’s just say that confidentiality prevents me from sharing some of the post-interview disasters I’ve heard about…

A final note

I’ve called these eight points “no brainers.” And to many people, they’ll seem totally obvious.

But as I’ve learned throughout my career, mistakes always seem obvious when we see other people make them.

They rarely feel as obvious when we’re about to make them ourselves.

My job is to equip you with the knowledge you need to make your best possible impression during an interview.

And so, if this article reminds you of just one thing that might have slipped your mind, I’m happy.

Good luck!

How Not To Mess Up Your Video Interview

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Video interviews have been a key part of the hiring process since the COVID years, particularly in the earlier rounds of recruitment journey.

However, I’ve seen promising candidates fall at this early hurdle by failing to take a few simple things into consideration.

In hindsight, they’re obvious mistakes. But if you’re looking to secure a job, hindsight is nowhere near as helpful as foresight.

Fortunately, a little effort goes a long way.

That’s why I’ve written this guide, to help you avoid the most common pitfalls in video interviews.

(It's a bit of a long read, but absolutely worth it. Grab a coffee and a donut and jump on in.)

The key principle you must always keep in mind

A video interview is still an interview.

You must treat a video interview with the same seriousness and professionalism that you would take into an in-person meeting.

I'll say it again.

A video interview is still an interview.

The four key video interview pitfalls you must avoid

When candidates attend in-person interviews, they go the extra mile to present themselves in the best possible light. However, for video interviews, many candidates fail to do the same by overlooking key aspects of their video set up.

Here's what you need to look out for:

• Poor Lighting: Dim lighting can make you appear tired or disengaged. It goes without saying - you don't want to look tired or disengaged in an interview.

• Unprofessional Attire: As I said before, a video interview is still an interview. Not dressing properly or having messy hair tells the interviewer that you’re not serious about the process.

• Cluttered Background: A messy environment distracts from the story you are trying to tell and detracts from your professional credibility. Not good!

• Poor Framing: Using multiple screens is great for productivity, but that can mean that you’re sitting at 45 degrees to the camera. No one wants to talk to your side profile.

What you should do instead

Here are 5 things you should always do to present yourself in the best possible light:

1. Optimise Your Lighting – what do professional photographers know that the rest of us don’t? That good lighting is everything.

On video interviews, this means positioning yourself facing a natural light source so that the light falls across your face evenly. If natural light isn’t available, try to avoid unflattering shadows from overhead lights. An extra light can also be helpful to highlight your features – it doesn’t have to be a ring light, a simple desk lamp will do.

Experiment with your lighting well before your interview.

2. Dress the Part - You might be doing the interview from home, but it doesn’t mean that you should dress like you’re hanging out on the couch. Dress professionally. Ensure that your hair is styled. Make sure you look neat and presentable. It not only boosts your confidence, but shows that you respect the interview process.

3. Choose the Right Background - What type of background works best on a video interview? One that is clean, neutral, and doesn’t distract from you and what you have to say. A plain wall or tidy room works best. If a suitable background isn’t available, use a virtual background.

4. Frame Yourself Properly - Considering how many photos we all take every day, this one should be a no-brainer. But it’s one that people frequently get wrong. Position yourself so the camera is at eye level. Make sure that you face is at the centre of the frame. You don’t want to be too close or too far from the camera – a good rule of thumb is for the top of your shoulders to be visible in frame.

5.  Sit Properly - Body language matters just as much on a video call as it does in person. So, at the risk of sounding like your school teacher, sit with your back straight and your head up. And please, don’t slouch or hunch your shoulders.

6. Test Your Technology - First impressions matter, and you don’t want to spoil them by fumbling with your tech. Before the interview, test your internet connection, camera, and microphone. Ensure your device is fully charged or plugged in. And please, familiarise yourself with the video conferencing platform to avoid technical glitches during the interview.

Final Thoughts

A video interview is still an interview.

You need to treat it as such. By paying attention to the way you show up on camera, you demonstrate that you are a professional who takes the interview process seriously.

Remember, your CV may open the door, but your video interview performance can determine how far you go.

So, follow these tips and give yourself the best chance to ace the recruitment process.

The CV Trap You Must Avoid

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Over the last couple of years, I’ve seen a trend emerging in the way supply chain and logistics talent are preparing their CVs – and it’s one that could derail your job application at the very first step.

Since 2020, we’ve been going through a perfect storm of supply chain pressures that have resulted in a massive impact on the bottom lines of businesses.

From COVID-era shipping restrictions, through to interest rate-driven economic pessimism in the global retail sector, and now to the tariff wars, the cost of doing business has skyrocketed in many sectors.

And so, supply chain and logistics professionals are being called upon to solve big, meaty strategic problems that are critical not just to the success, but to the very survival, of the businesses they work for.

Looking for positives wherever possible, we can see that there are big opportunities for strategically-minded supply chain professionals to massively increase their contribution to their businesses.

On the job front, CEOs and MDs are willing to invest big in the sort of strategic supply chain thinkers who can help them to sleep easy at night.

This brings me to the big problem.

I’ve met many supply chain professionals who are incredibly strategic in their approach.

However, you can’t see it from their CVs.

Instead of listing measurable contributions they’ve made to their businesses, instead they create a laundry-list of day-to-day responsibilities.

They talk about all the small mechanical tasks they do in a day, rather than concentrating on the big picture difference they made.

This is a massive missed opportunity. As a result, many supply chain professionals are selling themselves short.

How to avoid this trap? Think achievements, not tasks.

Instead of focussing on your day-to-day duties, use your CV as an opportunity to highlight the positive difference your contribution has made.

Describe the situation before and after. Be specific about the impact you’ve made – percentage changes are a great way of demonstrating improvement without giving away business-sensitive dollar values.

And where you can, give a hint of how you did it. You don’t have to tell the whole back-story – that’s best left to the job interview. But flashes of your strategic perspective and insight always help to make your CV more interesting.

Now more than ever, businesses need supply chain talent to protect and grow business revenues.

There are seats open at the strategic table. Don’t sell yourself short with a CV that focuses purely on day-to-day execution.

Interview Tips for Merchandisers in Hong Kong

Image: Hong Kong Tourism Board / Jeremy Cheung

What holds some of Hong Kong’s top merchandising talent back from securing the best roles in the industry?

All too often, it’s a question of presentation.

A common theme that I hear is that candidates of all experience levels spend too much time in interviews simply listing out the companies they worked for, the product categories they handled, and their day-to-day tasks.

It’s become a formula: “I worked at company X handling product category Y and my responsibilities were Z.”

While it's important to be able to cover your past experience in an interview, it's not enough to simply recite your previous job descriptions.

That's why it’s time for merchandising candidates to rethink how they present themselves in interviews.

What Merchandisers Should Really Be Highlighting

What truly makes a candidate memorable — and hireable — is their strategic mindset and ability to navigate industry shifts. Employers are increasingly interested in how you work, not just where you’ve worked or what you’ve worked on.

Here are key points that merchandisers in Hong Kong should focus on during interviews:

• How you adapt to industry changes: Demonstrate awareness of trends such as sustainability, digitalization, or reduced lead times. Describe how you’ve responded to them.

• Your approach to problem-solving: Share specific examples where you encountered project challenges and explain how you tackled them — whether through supplier negotiation, internal collaboration, or process innovation.

• Cross-functional collaboration: Highlight your ability to work with teams like QA, packaging, or sustainability, and how you’ve led or contributed to cross-departmental initiatives.

• Commercial awareness: Show that you understand margin impact, consumer expectations, and supply chain risks — and that you act accordingly in your sourcing decisions.

Understanding the Market Reality in Hong Kong

One difficult but unavoidable truth many candidates overlook: merchandising roles in Hong Kong are declining in number, not growing.

While the city still has a large talent pool with merchandising backgrounds, opportunities are narrowing.

However, many job seekers are unaware of the growing competitiveness — and fail to adjust their positioning and storytelling accordingly. It’s important for you to not make the same mistake.

The Mindset Shift That Matters

To succeed in interviews today, merchandisers need to move away from task-based interview responses and toward a value-driven story. Instead of just saying what you did, explain why it mattered and how it impacted the business.

In a saturated job market, being strategic, reflective, and forward-thinking is no longer optional — it’s essential.

One Final Thought

Your experience is valuable, but your perspective is what makes you unique. Don’t just talk about your work history. Tell the story of the impact you made — that’s what hiring managers remember.

Tariff Turmoil: Why Aussie business leaders need to get closer to supply chain

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The chaos coming out of America over the last few weeks has many Australian businesses taking a wait-and-see approach.

While business leaders are speaking in measured tones, many supply chain professionals I’ve talked to say they are deeply concerned about the impact that the US tariffs will have on their company’s ability to maintain margin.

Their concern isn’t so much about US imports per se, but the indirect impact US tariffs will have.

Many supply chain professionals worry that the cost of global trade will increase across the board. After all, supply chains are complicated things, and indirect factors can cause major issues.

An increase in the cost of global trade causes serious problems because there’s a limit to how much customers are willing to pay for products – especially when cost-of-living concerns are already the biggest issue facing the country.

So, companies will be left with two options:

1. They can absorb some of the impact by adjusting their pricing.

2. Or they can look for suppliers closer to home.

Both have real potential to reduce margins, so it’s worth studying them closely.

So, what’s my take on this?

It’s not the first time we’ve been through a major disruption in the supply chain industry.

In fact, during the COVID years, the cost of international shipping rose drastically. In many cases, Australian companies were able to shift their supply chains to focus on domestic suppliers.

Some will do so again. Others won't. The important point is that the answer shouldn't be a given.

Will your company need to do the same this time around?

I can’t answer that question for you, but I can say one thing: it’s time for CEOs and GMs to work closely with their supply chain departments to prepare as best as possible for an uncertain future.

The majority of business leaders don’t come from supply chain backgrounds. Instead, many typically come from customer-facing roles. And when things are uncertain, people tend to fall back on what they know.

However, “sell better” is unlikely to be a winning strategy.

For Australian business leaders to truly understand how to navigate the challenges ahead, there needs to be a mindset shift around supply chain – from being a supporting function, to a business driver that is equally important as front-end sales.

A changing world needs a new approach

The world of supply chain is one of constant change, and supply chain professionals are constantly adapting along with it.

Not only are they great problem solvers who are used to quick thinking, they are experts at using data to model complicated scenarios and identify the best way forward.

That’s why business leaders should be working with their supply chain teams to game out different scenarios.

The cost of doing business may indeed rise. But a great supply chain professional can help you to be prepared for it. You might even find a few savings along the way.

After all, fortune favours those who are prepared.