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First interview

In document The Know-It-All's Guide to Life (Page 138-141)

First interviews are used as initial screens to vet candidates who look good on paper. From the candidate’s perspective, the objective of the first interview is simply to leave a favorable impression and be invited back for the next round. Avoid scheduling interviews on Mondays and Fridays, when people are too distracted to concentrate. Attempt to get an inter- view time when your body functions well. This may not always be possible, but it never hurts to ask. The end of the day is always bad.

Everyone has heard the clichés about first impressions, and in inter- views, they largely hold true. Although some people don’t mind if you dress casually for an interview, those who do will reject you instantly. Men should play it safe and wear a dark suit, white shirt and conservative tie. Shoes should be highly polished and jackets buttoned. Women should

wear a dark suit and white or cream blouse and coordinated shoes. Scarves and tasteful, simple jewelry are acceptable. Both sexes should go easy on the cologne. Your suitcoat should remain on unless the interviewer invites you to remove it. If you are unsure about your ability to dress well for an inter- view, see John T. Molloy’s indispensable guide, New Dress for Success.

Eat a little something before the meeting—it will keep your stomach from gurgling. Be sure to arrive on time. If you are unfamiliar with the address, leave extra time to get there. If you arrive early, take a walk around the block. Showing up ahead of schedule is just as bad as being late—both imply that your time is more valuable than the interviewer’s. If you get sweaty palms, visit the rest room and run your hands under warm water. Some interview guides say never to accept anything to drink at an inter- view. This is malarkey. If you are running low on caffeine, take a cup of coffee. It will help your brain react more quickly to questions. If you get nervous and swallow a lot, ask for a glass of water. If possible, ask the interviewer’s assistant discretely before the interview starts. Order lightly if your interview is over a meal—if all is going well you will be too busy talking to eat.

Bring a briefcase with extra copies of your resume in it. Whether you wait in the reception area or are ushered into the interview room upon your arrival, ignore the invitation to make yourself comfortable. Instead— this is important—always stand while you wait. Look out the window, or pace back and forth if necessary, but do not sit. When the interviewer arrives, she will know you mean business and are full of energy. Look the interviewer straight in the eye, smile and say, “Ms. Jones? It’s a pleasure to meet you!” If you have already spoken on the phone say, “Good to finally meet you!” Do not sweat this moment—it’s not Lee and Grant at Appomattox—just don’t let some pointless remark about the weather or traffic be the first thing out of your mouth.

Some experts suggest using a technique called “mirroring” that in- volves subtly aligning your body with your interviewer’s. The idea is to create a subconscious sense of affinity between you and the person across the table. At best this technique is modestly helpful, and if you get caught you will be branded a buffoon. A simpler approach is to follow George Washington’s advice and keep both feet on the floor and your hands in your lap. If this seems too stiff or unnatural to you, cross your legs, but be sure to sit upright. Keep your hands away from your face. If you have a choice as to where to sit at a rectangular table, sit at the end. This way, your interviewer will not face you directly, which is a psychologically confronta- tional position.

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Questions at first interviews tend to center around basic background information. Interviewers generally use your resume as a discussion tool, so be prepared to explain it backwards and forwards. (Keep in mind many interviewers have not even looked at your resume before you arrive.) Study it carefully and try to put yourself in a stranger’s shoes, looking at it for the first time. Gaps in employment history leap out, but so do demotions and questionable career changes.

There is, naturally, a very good explanation for everything. Think of yourself as a candidate for office (which you are, really). Be humble, but try to put everything in a positive light. If you were young and stupid, admit it, although not precisely in those words. Demotions or lateral moves are new “opportunities” and “challenges.” What looks like a capricious move to an interviewer, is to you a smartly calculated step to take your career in a new, more interesting direction. But never get into an argument with the interviewer. Confrontation does not get you points for boldness, it sends you to the elevator bank for arrogance.

Some jerks may fire off questions like, “What did you do today?” or “Why are you here?” Such questions are designed to catch you off-guard. Don’t let them ruffle you. If you get a stress-inducing question, particularly one that is off-the-wall, pause and reflect a moment before answering. Try not to ramble; the interviewer is not interested in your answer anyway but, rather, to see how you handle yourself. Unless the interviewer is a total sadist, the vast majority of the time you will only get one of these questions. If you are qualified and excited about the position, there is no excuse for blowing the first interview. Answer questions straightforwardly and succinctly. Use active verbs as much as possible. Avoid extended discourses into your personal history. The more you talk, the more likely you are to make a mistake. Consciously try to move towards the interviewer’s tem- perament. If she is dour and serious, do not try to make any jokes. If she is friendly and humorous, lighten it up a bit, but avoid letting yourself be- come too informal.

You need to have well-prepared questions for the interviewer too. Although some questions will develop during the interview, you should have at least two general questions ready ahead of time. Q & A is a two- way street; do not be afraid to ask penetrating questions of the interviewer to assess whether you even want the job. For example,“What would your expectations of me be if I was hired?” A backdoor way of finding out how to portray yourself is to ask, “What are the distinguishing characteristics of others who have been successful in this position?” When you are done asking questions, shut up. The pregnant pause will indicate to the inter-

viewer that she can go back to work, which in most cases is exactly what she wants to do. Thank the interviewer for her time, and say you look forward to hearing from her. Although it is not necessary to write a thank-you letter, it does set you apart. For extra credit, slip an interesting article pertaining to the company’s industry in the envelope.

As a general rule, do not call to follow up until at least one week has passed, but do not wait more than two weeks. Put a second call in two days later if you do not hear back. Then wait a week before calling again. Do not get discouraged. No news is no news. Unless instructed otherwise, phone the person with whom you met. Avoid human resources personnel if pos- sible. They are gatekeepers and can only prevent you from being hired. Many candidates are afraid of calling for fear of irritating someone and blowing their chances. Ironically just the opposite is likely to happen— they will forget about you. Phoning demonstrates interest and distinguishes you for your initiative. Do it.

In document The Know-It-All's Guide to Life (Page 138-141)