Before, during, and after an interview

2/19/2020

Congrats, you've been invited for an interview! You've made it this far, but what do you do now? Here's what you need to know:

Pre-Interview

Before you leave to go to the interview, you should do a few things that pertain to the company itself.

Do your research! Interviewers may ask what drew you to the company, or what aspects of the website, social media, etc. you liked, what you thought of them, etc.

Print extra copies of your resume. If they ask you to bring X number of copies, bring 2 or 3 extra. If they don't ask for any, bring about 5, so that you are prepared. If you don't end up using them, then they are ready for your next interview!

Arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled time. If you're on time, you're late.

During the Interview

Be nice to the receptionist, or whoever you see when you arrive to the location. Employers notice how you treat everyone in the office, whether they directly relate to your position or not. If your interviewer isn't directly paying attention, someone is. The interview starts as soon as you walk in the office.

Prepare questions to ask the interviewer. There is always a section at the end of the interview, where you will be asked if you have any questions for them, so come prepared. Ask what you can bring to the company, specifically, or what the office environment is like, as examples.

Take notes! Bring a small notebook (or a padfolio) and a pen, and take notes about the position, the company, etc.

Post-interview

Ask when you will hear an answer by, in order to get a timeline.

Write down what you liked, what you did not like, how you felt, etc. about the interview. This will help you as you go on in your job search. If you have a gut feeling during the interview, write that down.

Write thank you notes. Hand-written, signed, stamped, mailed thank you notes. Thank the interviewer for their time and for the opportunity. Personalize the note to the interview, not just a standard template. Thank them for teaching them about some aspect of the company, and that you're excited to hear more.

EMails are also acceptable, but they are much less personal. If you write a thank you note, then the interviewer is more likely to remember your name.

Add team/department members on LinkedIn. Write a tailored connection request note, don't just add them. Write that you are interested in learning more about the company from an insider's perspective, most about your individual department, etc.

If you don't get the job, still write a note or send an email, and add some people. Thank them for their time and that you hope their search goes well. Be courteous in accepting the decline.

Second and third interviews

Second and third interviews are often more professional than the first round of interviews. In second and third rounds, you'll be learning more about the specific role you will be filling, and the first steps you will take as you begin the role.

A second, or even third, interview does not mean that you have been given the position. Remember that, and don't act like you have it.

You also are probably not going to be talking with the original interviewer, but you can elaborate on examples you've already used, since they will share notes between interviewers.

Practice your body language. If you slouch, and the first interviewer didn't notice, the second one may. So practice sitting properly, and not touching your face.

Ask more detailed questions about the role. Refer back to the notes you took in your first interview, and elaborate upon those.

Send more thank you notes, especially if you interviewed with different people. Every round of interviews is different, and you should make it known that you are appreciative of everyone taking the time out of their workday to talk to you.