From the moment you walk through the door—in some cases, from the minute you pull into the parking lot—your interview has begun. The person you meet in the lot (or whose space you took because the visitor's lot was full) may turn out to be the one whose support you will need before the final hiring decision is made. The same holds true for whatever might happen at a doorway or in an elevator. You never know when you will be most relieved that you did the right thing.
Reception Room Research
Before you go into the actual interview, there is still time to learn more about the employer, and that knowledge can make the difference in whether you are hired. Arrive at the reception room 10 minutes early. Not only will this give you an opportunity to gain your composure; it will also allow you time to take a close look at the waiting area so you can start to gather the input you will need to decide whether you want to work there. Your arrival in the reception area or at the secretary's desk also means your interview has begun in earnest. The person at that desk may play a bigger role than you might imagine.
In calling on a prospective client, I once walked into a small company's office and introduced myself to the woman who was busy at the first desk I came to. When I asked to speak with Ms. Wilkins, the woman looked up at me, smiled, and said: "Fm the person you're looking for. My secretary's out this afternoon." There was no question that my appointment had already begun.
In many organizations, an executive's secretary frequently has a say in the hire-fire process. In fact, I recall such conversations with some of my own secretaries over the years. A few had been with the employer longer than I, and they had a good sense of who would fit in and who wouldn't.
A secretary can also be the key to whether and how quickly you get to speak with the boss when you make a follow-up call, so treat her as though she has the power she may well have. Take no chances. If nothing else, you at least owe her your thanks for helping to arrange the appointment or for getting you in to see her boss.
Learn the names of the people you meet. That will help increase your comfort level. If you did your homework well, you already know the secretary's name. She is your key to future access to the inter¬ viewer. Treat her as you would like to be treated: professionally. If you use her name when you meet her now, you are that much ahead of the game. Everyone enjoys being held in high enough regard to be called by name.
Introduce Yourself
Smile and say who you are, the time of your appointment, and the name of the person with whom you are scheduled to meet. If you don't already know the receptionist's or secretary's name, you might pick it up from a nameplate on the desk. However you learn her name, be sure to use it in your self-introduction. If someone else happens to be sitting at the desk at that moment and you are wrong, no harm is done. You'll get credit for the effort. If you're corrected, accept the correction graciously and use the right name at once. That will be remembered even more. Pay close attention to the response you receive to your self-introduction. Is it warm and friendly, cool and sterile, cold and unfriendly? Are you offered a seat? A cup of coffee? Are you told your interviewer's status of the moment; "Ms. Ricketson is just finishing up a meeting. Would you mind waiting a few moments and then I'll announce you"? Or does she wave a hand down the hall, snap her chewing gum, and say, ''Down there, first door on the right"?
As the organization's first line in greeting newcomers, the receptionist speaks volumes for the organization. If you're later told, "Good help is hard to find," that tells you even more about the firm's perception of itself. The organization's first impressions count too. Learn what you can from them.
