Put those smartphones away Great tips for making your job interview count Anna Post
[Music]
manners you’ve got a job interview
etiquette out there you’ve got
internship interview etiquette out there
and you all might be thinking why are we
here today to talk it all about
etiquette for job interviews well when
you think about it an interview is a
conversation with somebody that might
just be the most life-changing
conversation you ever have so no
pressure right it’s okay
couple of reasons why I do think that
this is really important number one this
is something that can really set you
apart from the crowd and we all know
that there’s a lot of job applicants out
there right now number two it’s expected
of you interviewers are gonna be looking
for the things we’re about to talk about
and frankly none of these things we’re
gonna talk about should be a reason that
you don’t get a job for which you have
experience and qualifications to do and
lastly it’s a really great chance to
show the respect and the interest and
the appreciation you have for the
opportunity to interview so there’s six
things that I want all of you to know
today about interview etiquette so here
we go number one prepare prepare more
than you think you need to do okay and
prepare outloud by the way this might
sound kind of silly but you’re gonna do
this in the shower when you’re walking
the dog maybe when you’re in the car you
can do this with a friend practice
hearing yourself say things out loud
like your strengths or maybe answering
questions that you think you might be
asked in an interview this is gonna get
you comfortable hearing yourself say
this kind of stuff out loud and that
comfort is gonna translate into
confidence when you’re actually in the
interview okay so number two dress up a
notch okay a notch from what well it’s
not always about being really fancy you
want to be appropriate to whoever you’re
visiting so if you don’t know it’s okay
to call a receptionist or Human
Resources HR and find out what the
normal attire is at the place you’re
going into this is a great way to show
that you value the culture that you’re
entering into number three be on time no
big shocker
I heard a story about a guy really
qualified candidate at a major tax
company and he was nine minutes late for
his interview and I know that number was
nine because that’s how much this
company cared about timeliness I’ll tell
you something he didn’t get the job he
walked in and the interview sounded like
this we really wanted to hire you but we
just can’t you were late we’re sorry
here’s the thing I think it’s a great
idea when you go in for a job or
internship interview to do a dry run
find out how long that commute will take
you to get there so that you know number
four the handshake okay now you guys
have all done handshakes I know that so
you know that eye contact is really
important way to show acknowledgement
recognition and confidence you didn’t
smile so that you look at ease so that
you are welcoming the handshake itself
right you want a really complete
handshake
none of this sort of limp fish stuff
that leaves you wanting to wipe your
hands off afterwards some people talk
about having a really strong handshake
right which you don’t want though is
that crushing handshake here nobody
wants that nobody likes getting one of
those either
then there’s my favorite I call this one
the glad-hand right this is when you
shake somebody’s hand and you’re like
yeah nice to meet you
and you’re using both of them that’s for
the politicians skip that one now
there’s something that you might not
know about handshakes though and I want
you all to do this with me right now and
that is to stand up so everybody in the
audience or if you’re at home you can do
this there stand up beautiful you do
that absolutely beautifully this is one
of the best ways that you can show your
respect you’re meeting somebody at their
eye level this is fantastic you guys can
sit down again beautifully done
number five this is about your
smartphone or your cell phone or
anything else that you’ve got with you I
love mine you love yours but in the
interview you’re gonna want to put them
away it’s like they don’t even exist
don’t want to see it don’t want to hear
it why here’s the deal you know I like
to know the reason why somebody’s asking
me to do something and here it is giving
our full attention to somebody and our
interviewer deserves that is one of the
best ways that we can show our respect
for that person when you divide that
attention
distracted away by a device it
diminishes the respect that you’re
paying to them I think that’s why people
really feel this one this is a big one
for people number six
thank you notes all right how many
people here raise your hands I’ve ever
written a handwritten thank-you note
before awesome I knew it all right now
of those of you out there who have
already interviewed for a job or an
internship how many of you written a
handwritten note for that opportunity
this is a fantastic chance to really
shine this is a great opportunity now
here’s the thing I’m not just about
handwritten notes I’m all for email -
that’s great so you can send one of each
your email is gonna sound like this
I just dropped a note in the mail and I
wanted to thank you right away for the
opportunity to interview you’ll probably
say a couple things about you know
something unique to the interview maybe
a little follow up these don’t have to
be really long they don’t have to be
identical either they can be kind of
close but don’t copy them and send one
to each person that you met with in the
interview so those are the six things
that I want you to know about job
interviews to prepare more than you
think and to prepare out loud to dress
up a notch to be on time to have a great
handshake that you stand up for to have
your cell phone away not a distraction
and just end thank you afterwards
handwritten and email to everybody that
you meet with but here’s the thing it
can sometimes also be about nerves so
before you go in do this with me right
now really big smile I learned this
trick when I started speaking and it’s a
great one to put you at ease so I want
to thank you guys all and wish you a lot
of success
[Applause]
you