The Moment Of Truth!
Ok, job seekers, this is the moment of truth. This is your time to shine, and give your very best. The prospective employer has personally identified you as a prospective employee, and wants to meet you now. This is like being directed down the aisle toward the wedding party. The question is, will you walk away as the bride or the bridesmaid? Well, it all depends on how you do. No pressure....
Let's Celebrate A Little...
But, let's celebrate what you've accomplished so far.
1. You've done your networking. In networking, it's not who you know, it's who knows you.
2. Your resume made an impression to get you in. You got in the top 4 or 5 of possibilities.
3. You've survived the phone interview. The interviewer loved your energy, your background and skills, and your questions. You rock!
4. Now, you're being invited to come on-site to meet the team face-to-face.
So far, you're hitting on all cylinders. But, beware, it's not over yet. In fact, this is one of the biggest hurdles you'll have.
It's a Chemistry-Fit Assessment
Face-to-face interviews are primarily a chemistry-fit assessment. You apparently have the technical skills, and your background meets or exceeds the minimum requirements. A face-to-face interview tells the rest of the story. Remember as I've stated before, Everything Communicates Something. EVERYTHING. You can "lose points" if you are oblivious to this. The interviewer is making a potentially long-term decision (almost like a marriage) based on this chemistry. Don't blow it.
For the purpose of this segment, I'm going to concentrate on preparation for the big day.
Research:
If you haven't done so already, you should definitely research everything you can about the company and about the position. Don't walk in to the company without a very clear picture of what they do, how strong their business is, who their customers are, so forth. It doesn't matter if this is for a professional-level position or for an unskilled laborer position. Know they company you're applying for. It will impress them, especially if you don't have physical notes in front of you and you can talk from the top of your head about what you have learned about the company.
Have Extra Resumes:
Print off several extra copies of resumes and take them with you. I've found that in many interviews, the interviewer may not have a copy, or may not be able to find his copy, and it shows that the candidate is prepared. I've even seen where managers test the candidates on their preparedness by asking them for an extra copy of their resume (even though they have one already readily available).
Have Questions to Ask:
The one thing that will kill an interview is if you don't have any questions at the end. I've talked about this on my last blog regarding phone interviews. Also, ask different questions from different people (assuming you're meeting with multiple people throughout the day). Trust me, in their debrief about you, they will compare notes.
Dress the Part:
I will handle this in more depth on my next blog. But, in short, find out ahead of time what the appropriate attire is for an interview. Don't leave it to chance. You could come in waaaaaay overdressed, and be ill-fitting there. Or, worse yet, you could come in waaaaay under-dressed and be whispered about afterward. Know the attire / dress code expectations by asking the person who's setting up the interview for you.
Be Prepared to Fill Out an Application:
Take your past employers' names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, etc., with you in anticipation that you'll be having to provide this for an application. Don't be in a position to have to ask for a phone book. Have names and contact numbers of professional references as well.
Arrive 10-15 Minutes Early:
Show you're ready to start right away. Don't cut it close. EVERYTHING COMMUNICATES SOMETHING!
Handshake:
Offer a firm, confident handshake. Guys, this message is primarily to you...women resent having a "cold-fish," limp or weak handshake when they're going into a business exchange. Women, don't be delicate and weak when you're offering your handshake. Get a firm grip. If you have to, practice with someone and have them offer their opinion. But, a handshake is the first physical contact you make, and it communicates sooooooooo much!
Courtesy:
Be very polite and endearing to the receptionist. This is your first point of contact with the company. Her opinion is usually brought up during the debriefing.
Turn Off That Phone:
Better yet, leave it in the car. Turn it completely off so that you don't have it buzzing / vibrating when you recevie a text message or phone call. No exceptions on this, folks. There's no reason to have it on. And no amount of excusing will remove the stain of having the phone ring while you're being interviewed. Ok, you're now prepared for show-time.
Kathleen Lapekas - PHR
Action HR Consultant
For Personal Attention to Personnel Matters....
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