Welcome back. This is part 2 of a 3 part post relating to interview questions and answers. Previously I talked about knowing your audience so you could properly respond to those questions you were anticipating. So what’s next?
Step 3: Prepare penetrating interview questions for your audience. If it is a panel, make sure you have enough copies of your resume, cover letter, portfolio, etc, for each person. Have questions already prepared. My standard rule of thumb is to have 20 questions ready to go. During the conversation, many of your questions may get covered, yet by having 20, you are sure to have a few left in your arsenal to demonstrate your interest and critical thinking skills. The questions you ask during the interview are just as significant as the answers you give to the questions asked of you. Bring your notepad of your prepared interview questions with you. You can not possibly remember all of them; nor are not expected to.
Step 4: First impressions: Again, preparing for interview questions and answers is only part of the equation. You have a single shot at making a dynamite first impression. Your audience is obviously eager to meet with you or else they would not have scheduled the interview. Capitalize on their enthusiasm.
Show up 10 minutes early. Wear appropriate clothing. If the standard is business dress, dress accordingly with polished shoes, cuff links and a power tie for men. For women, business suit or other appropriate business attire is required. For a casual environment, a button-down shirt and sport coat may be suitable for men, while slacks, skirt or dress and nice blouse will be fitting for women.
Is sounds simplistic, but two things that can make or break you are not using an iron and dressing like you are going out on the town instead of out to an interview. Beware of being too casual as well as too much skin; heal height and jewelry and make-up volume.
Many coaches believe you can never overdress. I don’t agree. If you do not dress to your audience, you risk giving the wrong impression, resulting in a need to double your efforts just to get back in the game during the interview. In bigger cities with traditional expectations, this is less of an issue. In my community, we have a population of 400,000 and wearing a suit in a business casual environment is a quick way to get labeled “too stuffy”, which makes for a negative first impression. Aside from dress, be confident, smile, offer firm handshakes to everyone you meet (yes, that means women too), good posture and eye contact. And, of course, remember your manners.
