Career Services in Coda! [Katie Rivard]

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Career Services in Coda! [Katie Rivard]

Career Services in Coda! [Katie Rivard]

Interview Preparation

Lesson: How to Conduct Yourself in an Interview

10 minute read

Interviews are a lot like a first date—and they can be just as nerve-wracking.

Often, you have no idea what you’re going to be asked, and where the conversation is going to lead. However, you can control how you present yourself before, during, and after… and that can make all the difference to whether you make it to the next round.

Taking care over how you present yourself is as much about ensuring that you feel confident, as it is about creating a good impression on others. Steps to take include your appearance, punctuality, and body language throughout the process.

What to Wear

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What to wear to an interview is primarily about the culture of the company you’re interviewing with. Some employers are more laid back and prefer casual clothing, while others are more corporate and expect business formal.

Do your research before showing up to the interview—there’s nothing more awkward than feeling under-dressed (and feeling over-dressed isn’t much better). If in doubt, email the recruiter, or your contact at the company, to ask their advice. Don’t be afraid to ask questions like this—doing so shows that you care, and are considerate to the people you’ll be meeting with.

When to Show Up

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When it comes to arrival time, don’t simply aim to arrive early—leave enough time that you couldn’t possibly be late, even if you end up stuck on a broken down subway train for an hour. You want to be in a position to arrive at the venue 15-20 minutes before your scheduled interview time.

If you’re nearby before that, don’t go and hang out in their waiting room for an hour—it won’t be a comfortable experience for you or them. Instead, find a nearby park or coffee shop, and either chill, or do a spot of preparation.

There’s one exception to this rule: occasionally, companies or recruiters will specify an arrival time as well as an interview time. For example, they might ask you to arrive at 10.50am for an 11am interview. If this happens, follow the instructions you’ve been given.

How to Address People

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This should go without saying, but always be respectful and courteous towards those you’re meeting with. This applies to the front-office staff you check in with, as much as it does to members of the interview panel.

Where appropriate, call people by their name. This will help you to remember people’s names, in case you need to address them individually later in the conversation. It also shows that you are paying attention, and genuinely care about meeting the panel.

(It’s worth noting that expectations about how to address people do, of course, vary between cultures and language communities. If in doubt, observe local conventions. For example, in the U.K., it’s less common to address people by name in a formal setting unless you already know those people well. )

Be Aware of Body Language

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Body language can make or break an interview. When meeting with a hiring manager, be sure to maintain eye contact, and maintain a posture that is neutral, assertive, and open.

When shaking hands, keep your grasp firm without being dominant or overpowering. During the interview, try to control any fidgeting—like moving your hands, shaking your legs, or adjusting your clothing. Nerves are, of course, completely normal—but by controlling your body language, you can exude confidence in spite of them.

Not Knowing the Answer

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Finally, a key (and underrated) aspect of a good interview is how you deal with not having the answer to a question. It’s all right not to know the answer. Some candidates might ramble on incoherently simply to fill the void of silence, but you don’t need to. If you can’t answer a question, just be transparent with the interviewer, and say so.

If you find yourself in this position, you can also provide an explanation and suggest how you would go about determining the answer. For example, you could use a formula like this: “I don’t know the answer, but this is definitely an area I’m keen to grow in, and would love to work on adding this skill".

You can almost think of question like this as design problems. If you don’t know the answer immediately, set out the process you would follow to discover it.

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In summary: when going into an interview, it’s essential to look the part, show up on time, and show confidence in your answers. Don’t be timid, but also don’t be boastful; show respect to the people you meet, and show transparency with your answers.

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