Interview Etiquette 101

EPQ’s Interview Etiquette 101 - The night before and the day of!

If you’ve read our Interview Preparation blog post, you’re familiar with the fundamental ongoing imperatives to ready yourself for an interview - Role playing scenarios, researching the company etc. that enable you to walk into the interview feeling confident and ready to bring the best version of yourself.

In this segment, we’ll be touching on what to do the night before, the day of, and essentially the final hours before your interview:

The Night Before

Whilst the feeling of nerves may or may not have kicked in yet, in order to prepare for your interview you must get organised the night beforehand. But don’t panic, we’ve created a check list to ensure you’re good to go:

1. Read through your notes, CV, cover letter, job responsibilities, company and industry summaries (everything we taught you in our Interview Preparation post) one last time.

2. Outfit plan. There is nothing worse than waking up in the morning and fussing over an outfit you can’t find, so make sure your clothes are planned and laid out the night before. This is also great opportunity to check for stains, creasing, scuffs on your shoes and ensure you’re dressed in a professional manner (Even if your interview is via zoom or online, it’s still important to look presentable!)

3. Plan your Journey. To ensure no hiccups, map out your route, make sure you’re aware of the location, bargain in how much travel time you will need, then add additional time (we recommend 20 minutes) incase of delays in traffic. Traffic is almost always guaranteed so it’s important to think ahead and not rush, as well, if you walk in late and/or flustered, it could affect the impression you have on your employer.

If your meeting is online or via zoom you, of course, won’t need to plan a journey. But, you will need to find a quiet, well-lit space, as well as to check access to links before you click to join.

4. Pack your bag. If you’re having an in-person interview at an establishment, you will need to pack a few essentials in your bag. We recommend popping in a copy of your CV, a notepad and pen, and, in some cases, a form of ID and a note of your references. We also suggest re-reading your invitation to interview and see if the employer has requested you bring anything additional.

5. Get a good nights sleep. A slight cliche and a big ask for some, however extremely important. Make sure you’re in bed at a reasonable hour and up in there morning with plenty of time to spare.

The Day of

 It’s more likely the nerves have kicked in now, but the best is yet to come! You’ve packed your bag, re-read your documents and now you’re ready for the occasion. Heres some tips to smash the penultimate build-up for your interview:
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1. Be on time! Starting with the obvious but one of the most important! Arrive at least 10-15 minutes early.
2. Bring all the supplies you need, luckily you checked the night before!
3. Be polite. First impression is everything, so make sure you are polite and considerate to ALL staff members onsite. Plus, have you no idea who is involved in inputting a hiring decision.
4. Turn off your phone. Unless there there is a unique exception to you keeping your phone on, discussed with the interviewer, you must turn your phone off or switch it to silent.
   
5. Avoid scent distractions. We recommend you are subtle with fragrance use to avoid distractions to the employer, as well as avoid smoking before your interview.
   
6. Don’t chew gum. Gum can so easily make you look disinterested or informal, avoid chewing it during your interview or in the building at all.
   
7. Smile! In addition to being polite and considerate, crack a smile! It truly can go a long way.