When you were in the catbird seat-doing the interviewing instead of being the interviewee-you probably used interviews as much for de-selection as for selection. You were literally looking to see whether a job candidate was a member of the "to be considered" or "not to be considered" group before you even thought about anything else. So, your primary goal now as an interviewee is to make it into the "to be considered" group on your initial interview. A job offer is seldom tendered on the first interview, so if you make it into the "to be considered" group, you have other opportunities to impress.
Your key to ultimate success is to show not only that you're looking for a position, but that you're ready and prepared to perform in that position. Sell yourself. Project energy, enthusiasm, interest in the interviewer, the company and the position. Remember: An interview is a deck stacked in the interviewer's favor. You are an actor walking onto a set stage. You must be positive and alert. You must be sensitive to your audience-the interviewer-and play to him or her.
If you still don't have the information you 'd like, you have a few more options. Call your interviewer's secretary or the company's public relations department and ask for information or brochures on the company. At least, find out what the company or organization does. Should this be unproductive, then ask the secretary or receptionist some questions about the company while you wait for your interview. If all else fails, ask for information during the interview. Say something like, "I tried to locate information about your company. I couldn't find out anything in public sources. But the position sounded so interesting, I felt that I just had to find out about it." Or, you can ask them very early on, "Exactly what does your company do? I tried to research the company, but couldn't find any information in public sources."
The wait. Use your waiting time to find out about the company, to check your appearance again, to review the answers you prepared to questions that might be asked, to go over your resume one more time, and to focus in on the place and your purpose for being there. If any brochures, annual reports or advertising pieces on the company products or services are in the waiting area, look them over for additional background information.
Talk pleasantly to the secretary or receptionist. You can often pick up useful information without being overtly curious. And do ask how your interviewer's name is pronounced if you're not sure.
You have no problem if you're told the interview will be delayed. But when it's more than 20 minutes late, ask how long the delay will be. Say something like, "Is Mr. or Ms. Y aware that I'm here?"
Should the delay run to 45 minutes or more, you run a risk. They've made you wait. Without any kind of rancor, comment something like, "I had an appointment at 10:00.1 would like to reschedule the appointment, if possible." However, if you were flown in or drove a long distance for the interview, you must wait, rechecking every 10 minutes or so without appearing nervous. Some companies actually delay interviews as a sort of test to see how you react to and manage stress.
Health
If you're asked a question about your health, answer "excellent." If you answer anything else, you can dig yourself a hole. But should you find yourself coming down with a cold or the flu, call ahead of time and tell them you're catching a cold or flu, and ask if they'd prefer to reschedule the interview.
A survey conducted by Robert Half International and reported in both the Wall Street Journal and Reader's Digest (March 1990, p. 17) indicates that one in four employers would reject a smoker competing for a post with an equally qualified nonsmoker.
Interviewing tricks
Some unscrupulous interviewers engage in underhanded tricks to find out your reactions to stress. Some of the tricks that have been reported by interviewees:
- Rocking chair. One leg of the chair may actually have been shortened to make it rock. Comment, "There seems to be something wrong with this chair." Change chairs if you can. Don't sit there and accept discomfort.
- Don't sit on a low couch if you can avoid it. You may sink into it too far, be unable to maintain alert posture, or be placed at a disadvantage because you are lower and have to look up at the interviewer (you are in a position of subordination).
- The interviewer can use distance or height to your disadvantage-can place you too far away or too close for your comfort level.
- You may be seated so that the sun or a light shines in your face. Tell the interviewer that you'd like to move so that you can see him or her.
- If you are asked to join the interviewer for lunch, by all means, go ahead.
- Don't order expensively. And don't order anything that could be messy-no pasta sauces! When you're nervous, as you are bound to be a little, you don't need to decorate your tie or your blouse.
- When you are asked if you'd like a cocktail and you either don't drink or don't want to drink, don't say, "I never touch the stuff." Join in by ordering Perrier or club soda with a twist. If the others in the party are having drinks and you choose to join, stay well behind. More than one or two drinks may make you slur your words or make a misstatement. But wait to order a drink until after the interviewer does. Then match the drink type, and preferably have only one. The interviewer may be checking your interest in, capacity for, and tolerance of alcohol.Follow up after the interview. Write a thank-you note to the interviewer. The letter should be brief, but you can use it to amplify important points not covered to your satisfaction, correct possible misconceptions or transmit supplemental information the interviewer requested. The thank-you letter is a superb place to summarize the interview and strengthen those two or three clincher points you want the interviewer to remember. It's also a good idea to send a thank-you note to an especially helpful secretary, receptionist or other staff member.
