When you gear up for an interview, you probably agonise over the questions you’ll be asked, the answers you’ll give and how to make the best possible first impression. Most of your preparation will probably focus on the time you spend face-to-face with your interviewer.
This post originally appeared on The Daily Muse.
But to be 100 per cent prepared, there are a few things you’ll want to clarify before you show up in your best suit. Knowing all the small details — like who you’re meeting with, where to park or what to bring — can make a big difference in your confidence on interview day. So before you head off to your next interview, make sure you have the answers to these six key questions. (And if you don’t? It’s totally OK to ask.)
1. Who Will I Be Meeting With?
Since you could be interviewing with a recruiter, your potential future boss, a handful of your could-be teammates, or all of the above, you’ll want to know all of your interviewers’ names and titles (so you can properly LinkedIn-stalk beforehand).
2. Is There Anything I Should Know About the Format of the Interview?
Will you face a firing squad — er, panel of interviewers? Maybe you’ll be grouped together with other applicants and tasked with creating a presentation. Or maybe, it’ll just be a standard one-on-one, 30-minute interview. Either way, knowing ahead of time will help you fend off any not-so-pleasant surprises.
3. About How Long Can I Expect it to Last?
I once showed up for an interview that I thought would last about an hour, tops. Turned out that it was scheduled from 8 AM until 12 PM, so I could meet with five different representatives from across the organisation. Wish I’d packed a snack!
4. Is There Anything I Should Bring?
(Besides a few copies of your resume, of course — but you already knew that.) Depending on the position you’re going for, the company may request work samples or a portfolio — and showing up empty-handed could kill your changes of snagging the role.
5. Is There Anything I Should Know About Getting There or Parking?
Nothing will throw off your game more than finding out that the off-ramp your GPS suggested is closed because of construction, so you’ll have to get off at another exit and find a back route (and probably show up late, to boot). Or discover that the carpark only takes cash — and you have none.
6. What’s the Office Dress Code?
Whether you glean this from calling the front desk receptionist or stealthily watching the people going in and out of the building, you’ll want to know whether to pull out your nicest jeans or your most professional suit.
Knowing these details (combined with your thorough interview preparation, of course), will set you up for success in any interview. Now, go knock ’em out — and snag that new role!
6 Questions That Will Ease Your Mind Before the Interview| The Daily Muse
Katie comes to The Daily Muse from a variety of management gigs, from small town music venue to big city cupcake bakery. Most recently, she’s leapt into the corporate world in sunny Florida, where she constantly challenges her team of support techs to provide over-the-top customer service. Outside her cubicle, you can find her perfecting her homemade bagel recipe, writing silly poems, and dressing in scarves and boots. Say hi to Katie on Twitter @kdouth.
Comments
3 responses to “Six Questions That Will Ease Your Mind Before An Interview”
Cool. Now all I need is an interview.
I’ve given up on dressing for a role. I now refuse to specifically take a jacket unless the weather calls for it, and I won’t wear a tie.
I don’t want a role where I’m required to have a tie, and I’d rather be comfortable in the interview and be me. Not me wearing a tie.
I got called to a “casual workplace” interview, still wore suit pants, don’t think I’d wear jeans to an interview
I recently had an interview (two, actually, for the same place) and I dressed way up for both. The first was on a Friday morning so I changed in their bathroom right after the interview (my workplace rocks casual Friday so turning up in a pencil skirt would have been questionable) and left the office in jeans.
But I think showing that you’ve arrived wanting to impress them never hurts – even when they’d never expect you to dress that formally for everyday wear.
If it’s a smaller company where I don’t know much about the culture, I try to look around the neighbourhood of the office to get a feel of the place. I think where the office is located tells you a lot about the work culture of the employer.
And for me, always dress up in suit and tie. And always a firm handshake. To me nothing says “I’m not confident” more than a weak handshake.