so, i didn’t get to writing on monday because i actually had my first interview in over a month. don’t expect i’ll tell you what organization i interviewed with, but i can say it’s well-known.

i approached this interview as an opportunity to fine tune my interviewee style, and i’d like to share it with you, in case it helps you in any way.

The Day Before The Interview: Non-Interview Related Preparation

the Commute

the day prior was my first anniversary with my wonderful spouse. as he has a better knowledge of the city than i do, i had him do a dry run with me to show me how to get to the location, parking, etc. here’s what we learned from the dry run:

1. pay attention to how much time it took to get from home to the parking garage.
2. think about what traffic would be like at the specific time i would be driving (morning rush, mid-day rush, afternoon rush).
3. figure things may not go as planned (gas tank is on empty, the shoes i picked are missing, no coffee available, trouble finding spot in parking garage, etc.)

this gives you appropriate preparation and sufficient estimation of what time you need to wake up + how long it takes to get ready + buffer time + commute.

The Look

then, you should at least think about how you want to look for your interview. i am fortunate enough that most people think i’m younger than my actual age. i realize that this is generally a good thing, but depending on what position i’m interviewing for, this could be a hindrance. now, i understand that many people feel that the way they look should have nothing to do with their capabilities. the problem with that is that these people don’t know you. they don’t know what you’re capable of, so they are going to judge everything about you that they can see. you can be yourself once they’ve indicated to you that they want to get to know you better. the resume does part of the job, but how you look and present yourself counts for much more.

so, here are the considerations for your interview look:

• what type of person is the organization looking for (leader, follower, self monitoring, scapegoat, whatever)?
• what type of organization is it (trendy, corporate, boys’ club, girls’ club, laid back)? if you don’t know, do some internet surfing to see if you can identify existing employees. facebook, linkedin and myspace can give you a lot of background information about the type of people they have now.
• what still represents YOU? this isn’t about pretending to be someone else. this is about YOU being the centerpiece and your clothes are the garnish. so, you still want YOU to shine through the suit that you hate wearing? depending on the situation, that could mean a fashionable, high-end t-shirt or a halter top or a brooks brother’s button down. use good judgement in knowing what’s appropriate. a suit is best in 95% of cases, but make it your own.
• what are you comfortable in? this has part to do with representing yourself, but this is also about making sure that while the interviewer is asking questions, you’re not sweating bullets or have major underwear ride-up issues. think about temperature and what movements you’ll need to make (shaking hands, walking, standing, etc.). you’ll present much more confidently if you feel like you’re in your own skin.

The Day Before The Interview: Interview Related

Preparation checklist:

• extra copies of your resume on good quality paper (it matters). as a rule of thumb, i always bring 5. 3 could be too little, especially if people want to pass it along within the group. much more and it starts to look like you’re playing a show at the empty bottle.
• copies of your references on good quality paper (the same paper as your resume).
• pens, usually 3. one for yourself, one back-up, and one in case the interviewer forgot one. i know it’s an apple polisher move, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared and courteous.
• directions and address of interview location. even with a dry run, and even if you’re familiar with the area, you still need to remember the suit number, etc.
• who you need to ask for in reception. there have been times where hr has never told me if i ask for them or someone i’m interviewing with. so, this needs to be cleared up before the interview, and i even try to bring the email where this was discussed, so i remember. again, can’t hurt.
• portfolio of work. i know this seems like more of a copywriting and creative thing, but it’s actually not. for media folks, this could include any of the following: screenshots/copies of ads placed and a summary of positioning, old presentations, old POV’s, and even copies of what you’re writing for your blog (if appropriate). they might never ask for it, but if you think of this like a client presentation, visual aids always help. two very important notes about this: change any confidential information (i change client names, sites, vendors, and ALL numbers involved), and bring a copy to leave behind. as they recap discussions with either the department or other departments that you could work for, a visual representation of your work is the most succinct way of saying who you are, how you work, etc.
• copies of their work. do your homework. know the work they’ve done and have opinions ready, good or bad. it not only shows that you’re familiar with them as a company, but it also gives them an ego boost that you know and care. for bonus, know good AND bad so they know you like them, but you could make things even better for them.
• mints. gum is too messy and distracting, but you don’t want to be remembered as the interviewee with dragon breath. they don’t want to work with that guy/girl.
• questions. prepare them beforehand so it shows that you thought about it and never forget that you’re interviewing them too. i get questions from the job description and the news. from a job description, you can draw such questions as how did this position come about, how does this position interact with other departments, who reports to you, who do you report to, what does turnover in the department look like, what has the department done that they’re proud of, and so on. questions drawn from the news could be like around how the news has effected them publicly, how much is true, how does the news apply specifically to the job/department, etc.
• practice the answers to the obvious questions, aloud. give an example of how you resolved or handled conflict, how you thought on your feet, how you handle clients, what you teach your direct reports or coworkers, how you work with other departments/agencies. the thing is, even if they don’t ask the specific questions, they’ll probably ask something pretty close and you’ll be prepared to toot your horn.
• sing in the car on the way there or at home while you’re getting ready, something fun and upbeat. this does 2 things: calms you down and exercise your vocal chords. i listen to queen. i want to ride my bicycle. i want to ride my biiiike.

In The Interview

• firm handshake. it shows your confident and helps generate a strong image. don’t be batman. be bruce wayne.
• really listen to what they’re saying and respond appropriately. sometimes it’s easy to go into the speech that you prepared the night before, but they need to know that you’re hearing and listening to them.
• eye contact, but don’t be creepy. give them enough so they know you’re listening, but not to the point where they have to look away. there’s a fine line, sometimes, but use your gut instincts and common sense.
• relax, but be professional. you want them to know that you’re a comfortable person to be around, but, since they just met you, they don’t want to know about the man from nantucket.
• take notes. seriously. real notes. this not only shows that you’re paying attention, but, if you’re like me, you’ll need the notes for a follow up interview. my biggest problems are that i forget and while i’m in an interview sometimes, it’s more of an out-of-body experience. notes help refresh my memory of what was discussed and help me start off on the right foot in a second interview. bonus: you can create more questions based on your notes.
• thank them for their time. they’re busy, or else they wouldn’t need to hire someone. so, show them that you know their time is valuable and you’re appreciative that they met with you.

The Aftermath. Now what?

first, you can write on your blog.

second, give them time. remember that they’re probably interviewing multiple candidates and that can take weeks because of busy schedules. not only that, but, even if they end up offering you the job, you may not be their first choice (not the worst thing in the world), so they may even need time to offer the job to someone else and for them to turn it down. i generally give interviewers 2-4 weeks.

third, after 2-4 weeks, if you haven’t heard from them, contact HR and just politely ask for an update. “i’m really interested in the position and i’d like to know the next steps.”

fourth, thank you cards. nowadays, this can include a professional sounding email. cards are nice, but, email also generally works fine.

wrapping it up

i did some, but not all of the things i listed above. i have no idea how i was perceived, but these are the thoughts i had coming out of it. i hope it was helpful and good luck!