PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE-UP BEFORE YOU ENTER THE INTERVIEW ROOM




PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE-UP BEFORE YOU ENTER THE INTERVIEW ROOM

For your first few interviews your background is important – your
school, the medium and the place you studied in, all serve to give
the interviewer an idea about you. Carry a copy of the bio-data that
you have already sent, and the interview letter. Keep the extra copy
with you, just in case. Show the interview letter to the
receptionist/interviewer to establish your credentials, but keep this
letter with you. This gives you, for your future reference, a time
and date record of your interview, gives the official address of the
company for further correspondence and clarifications, and may give
you the name and designation of the person you are to report to.

Carry everything you need for the interview in a neat folder – do not
have loose papers cascading to the floor because you are desperately
hunting for the degree certificate, while the interviewers drum their
fingers impatiently. And don’t carry your papers in a plastic or
cloth shopping bag either: invest in a good folder, plastic or even
leather.

Incidentally, don’t feel shy or hesitant about calling up the office
and getting details about location, landmarks/bus routes/other
information to help you reach the venue of the interview. Again, if
it is not a “mass” interview, where lots of people are being
interviewed on the same day, and you do have a genuine difficulty
about reaching on the scheduled day/time, many employers will re-
schedule if you ask them nicely enough. The reverse is also true: a
good impression is created if you take the trouble to inform the
interviewer that you can/will not attend the interview. If you are in
the same town go and “case the joint” – see where the
office/interview centre is, and how long it will take you to get
there.

Always arrive at least fifteen minutes before your scheduled time –
that gives you time to catch your breath in case you climbed the
stairs too fast, allows you to compose yourself and not be too
nervous, and to check out the competition. If the interview is in the
offices of the company itself, this also allows you to get a “feel”
of the company. See how comfortable you feel, how efficient the
interview process is. Says a lot about what the rest of the company