While you have the opportunity to do so, look around you. What you will see is the organization's first real statement of how it wishes to identify itself. What should you look for? First examine the decor. French provincial makes a statement different from that of Danish modern. Conservative, perhaps, rather than contemporary? It's worth checking. What pictures are on the walls? Oil portraits of the firm's founding fathers say something far different from, say, glossy studio shots of new products.
What reading material is available? Is there a copy of the annual report? A quarterly report you can browse through? Are copies of trade publications available? Which ones? Skim everything while you wait, especially the most current material on the organization.
One job candidate thumbed through a current issue of an industry- oriented magazine and found an article that said a pending strike could cripple that employer's Midwest plant operations. That was a fortunate piece of reading, for the interviewer's first comment, once they were seated, was: "What do you think about that strike possibility at our Midwest plant?" Reception room research pays off.
Dealing with Stress
No matter how well you've prepared, it's normal to feel some tension when you first arrive. If you do, use your spare time to walk to the restroom. First keep in mind that the interviewer may also be in there.) Step into a booth and stretch, yawn, hang limp at the waist, and bounce up and down. Do whatever you can to help cut your stress load. If you can't get to the restroom and have to remain in view of others, do some discreet breathing and tensing-and-releasing exercises.
Now switch your thoughts away from yourself. Think about what you want to know about the job and the people you would be working with. Envision yourself successfully handling the more difficult questions or situations you might experience. Remind yourself that most executives don't conduct very many interviews and that the person who interviews you may be uneasy. Think about how you might be able to help this individual have a better interview and how your skills might benefit him or her once you've hired.
More Clues If you find time to walk to the restroom, you may pick up additional clues about the organization along the way. What can you notice about the furniture in the offices you pass? What are employees doing? How about the general housekeeping? File the information; it could come in handy later.
Application Forms
You may be given an application form to fill out, even if you are interviewing for a managerial position. Note the way it is given to you and how you are asked to complete it. Again, attitudes will be a measure of what you might expect if you accept employment there. If you thank the individual and say that you will be pleased to clip your resume to it, what kind of response do you elicit? Are you told, in effect, that either you complete it or you don't get through the door? Are you told this is standard procedure? Are you invited to fill out just the applicant block on the front page and leave the rest blank for now or attach your resume? The latter practice is commonly accepted at these levels.
When You're Kept Waiting
It is not unusual for an interviewer to keep a candidate waiting, although the time can vary considerably from appointment to appointment. If you provided the receptionist or secretary with information about yourself, the interviewer may want to take a few minutes to look it over before inviting you in. It is also possible that the interviewer is not task- oriented, can't get it together, is dealing with an unexpected situation that demands attention, or lacks the proper regard for your time.
If the delay is more than 5 minutes beyond the scheduled time and you haven't been given an explanation or apology, inquire. Again the response you receive may tell you more about the organization: "You'll just have to be patient." "I'm sure I don't know." "Oh, this always happens." "I'll see what I can do for you." All send different messages, so be guided accordingly.
If you are told the wait will be more than ten minutes and you receive a reasonable explanation, busy yourself while you remain where you are. If you're told the wait will be longer, ask if there is an empty office you might use to take care of some paperwork and whether the individual might come and get you when the interviewer is ready. If the delay goes beyond fifteen minutes, or is expected to, you might want to consider offering to reschedule, saying that you "understand how emergencies can crop up." Doing that, however, would not be advisable if you are in another city and would not be able to reschedule the appointment.
