Does this scenario sound familiar? You walk into the lobby of a cavernous building, where a security guard stops you and insists that you slap a guest sticker on your chest. As you approach the elevator bank, your heart starts pounding—you have however many seconds it takes to ride up to the fifteenth floor to blot the sweat that’s gathering rapidly on your forehead, touch up your makeup in your compact mirror, run a brush through your hair, and make sure there’s nothing stuck in your teeth. While you’re checking all these last-minute details, your mind suddenly goes blank, only to then be flooded with questions you should know the answers to: What’s this company called? What’s my interviewer’s name? What’s my name?
And that’s only the beginning—you haven’t even begun your job interview yet. From your first firm handshake until the moment you get home and send off a thank-you note, you’re under the microscope, so no matter what, this process is fraught with anxiety and potential stumbling blocks. However, if you make it a priority to familiarize yourself with the proper etiquette for your first meeting with a prospective employer, you’ll significantly reduce your stress levels—and knock the trouser socks off your interviewer at the same time.
Do Your Research
The interview process should ideally begin long before you set foot in the office of any company that’s called you in for an in-person introduction. As soon as you’ve confirmed the date and time of your meeting, begin your sleuthing work.
- Scour the company’s entire Web site until you feel comfortable regurgitating its mission statement, its unique products, and the names and titles of any staff members you’ll be interacting with.
- Come up with a list of sample questions you think you might be asked, then ask a friend or relative to pose as an interviewer and role-play with him or her—take it seriously!
- Contact all the people you can think of who currently work for or have worked for the company where you’ll be interviewing, and ask them for insider tips on the workplace environment, the person with whom you’ll be meeting, the dress code, and anything else you’d like to know.
- If possible, pay a visit to the company before you interview to get the lay of the land and a feel for the dynamic.
