Never take it upon yourself to be familiar and call the interviewer by his or her first name. Don't chew gum. Don't use slang. Don't smoke, even if the interviewer invites you. Why not smoke if you are given permission? Many companies today frown on smoking and prohibit it in all or parts of their offices.
If you are in a basically nonsmoking office and light a cigarette, you could ruin your chances for the job, so don't risk it. Notice whether people are smoking as you go to meet the interviewer.
Are there No Smoking signs prominently displayed? To drive this point home, a recent survey by Robert Half International found that one in four smokers lose out when competing for a job against equally qualified nonsmokers.
When you enter an interviewer's office, try to get a quick psychological profile of the person behind the desk. For example, is the office neat, with a place for everything and everything in its place? Is it disorganized, with papers piled up on the desk? What kind of pictures are on the wall or on the desk? Family, sports, boats, pets? How is the interviewer dressed? Conservative or casual?
Observing the details in the office such as photos and wall decorations can provide a clue to the kind of person you will be dealing with. The more you know about the company and the person interviewing you, the better your chances of having a substantive meeting. This is one of the reasons researching a company and its personnel prior to an interview can be so helpful. Is the interviewer a serious type or one with a sense of humor? Is the interviewer relaxed, intense, or laid back? If possible, you want to key your responses to his or her personality.
Breaking the Ice, One mature job hunter recently had an interview with a company that employed a majority of women in its work force. While waiting to see the interviewer, he noted that the human resource reception room was filled with women. He was the only male in the place. When he walked into the interview he was faced by a young woman. Sitting down, he leaned forward in his chair, looked directly into her eyes, and said in a serious manner, "May I ask you a question?" "Certainly," she said.
"Do you ever hire males in this place?" he asked.
They both laughed and the subsequent interview was comfortable and relaxed. In this instance, it was a good way to break the ice, but there's an element of danger involved if the person behind the desk is unresponsive. This is the kind of judgment a job hunter has to make. If you are successful, you raise the interview to a higher level and put yourself in the running for the job. If you guess wrong, it can spell disaster.
Often an interviewer will start with small talk about such subjects as the weather, sports, or women's fashions. The interviewer is not making idle chitchat to kill time. He or she is attempting to get a feeling for the type of person you are.
Are you comfortable, easy to talk to, relaxed? The purpose is to see if you are the kind of person who fits into the company's culture. Will you get along with other people in the company? Are you a team player? Such talk can lead into the interview and give you a decided advantage. Use such an opportunity to develop a relationship with the interviewer and contribute to the conversation. Always be concise when answering questions.
The Art of Small Talk
Recently a 50-plus-year-old journalist was looking for a job. The president of the company, who was going to interview him, had written a book. By chance, the job hunter had read the book and also knew an executive from his former company who was a close friend of the person he was going to see.
The job hunter walked into the executive's office and sincerely complimented him on the beautiful office decor. The small talk led to the fact that the job hunter had read the executive's book and had worked with a mutual friend. The book was discussed at length and the job hunter spent an hour and a half with the busy executive. Did he get the job? Despite what he considered a terrific interview, he doesn't know whether he would have gotten the job, because he got the one he was seeking elsewhere. This anecdote points up the importance of what might seem like an inconsequential part of an interview. When you are polite, sincerely compliment someone, and demonstrate that you re late well with others, you enhance your chances as a potential employee. Small talk is an important part of business and it can serve you well in an interviewer's office.
Don't say you are looking for a new challenge. It's a cliché which, when you think about it, has no meaning. Every job hunter is looking for a "new challenge." Don't join the crowd. Another point to remember: When you are invited to interview for a job, it means the company is interested in you. When this happens, be prepared. The interview is your ticket to getting a job. The more interviews you have, the better your chance of success. If you appear unsure, nervous, or shy, you won't make a good impression and may lose the opportunity to clinch the sale. A company has to make a decision when it comes to hiring someone. Let it be you.
