If
you’ve attended our Etiquette Dinners in the last few years, Virginia Edwards’
name will be familiar to you since she has been our speaker. I always enjoy reading her monthly newsletter,
and, when I read her February newsletter, I immediately wrote to her and told
her that she had just unknowingly written my next blog post. With her permission, I’ve copied the first
half of her article about interviewing below and will use the second half about
follow-up after the interview at a later date.
From Virginia…..
“Your
resume grabbed the attention of the HR manager. You aced the telephone
interview by having the company information at your fingertips and by
remembering to keep background noise to a minimum. You are at the next step.
The in-person interview.
HR
managers tell me time and again how a candidate who has made it to the
in-person interview can lose all credibility in an instant. How does this
happen? Candidates need to remember they are being observed from the moment
they arrive on company property until the moment they depart. This
includes driving your car onto the parking lot. If it looks like you live
in your car, clean it up or borrow or rent one for the day.
Do
not underestimate the value of a receptionist! Some receptionists are the
first to interview a candidate. This is not the time to be overly
familiar with someone you just met or worse yet rude. I have been hired
on numerous occasions to play the role of receptionist in order to obtain a
third party observation of how potential candidates interact with all levels of
staff.
Most
HR managers are driven to distraction when a candidate arrives with nothing in
their hands. Now I don’t mean you are to come bearing gifts. You
should arrive with a portfolio holding several copies of your resume, a list of
your references, and pen and paper to take notes. Your portfolio should
be sturdy enough to lean on for note-taking since it is rude to lean on
someone’s desk. Even technology companies tell me they prefer the
candidate to use pen and paper opposed to a smartphone or tablet for
note-taking. If you are unsure, ask in advance of your interview.
If told no technology, leave your phone in the car. Even in your pocket
or briefcase on vibrate; it is a distraction to you and those around you.
You are at the interview for human interaction, not to read your emails and
texts, or to take calls.
Prepare
a list of questions you would like answered about the company. One HR
manager told me how a sought-after candidate lost his credibility when the
interviewer asked if he had any questions regarding the company or the
position. The candidate replied, “No. I know everything.”
Even if you believe you know all there is to know about the company and the
position, prepare some well thought out questions.”
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