Interview Etiquette

[Kimmyt]

Good luck on the interview! Ann Taylor set me up for my last interview.... gorgeous black skirt suit and a really nice green/yellow silk shirt with pattern.... under the black suit the color really popped without being glaring and it allowed some personality to show.

While it is usually the personality that will get you hired, a good appearance doesn't hurt... especially if some of your interviewers are female (or male for that matter, I think in business situations people tend to react better to those who appear 'put together').

I'm sure you'll do great! Cycling makes great legs for showing off in business suits!

K.

[Triskeliongirl]

I liked hearing the male perspective, and of course the content of the interview is important, but perhaps men don't even realize how important appearance is in making that critical 'first impression.' For men business attire is pretty clear, not a lot of choices. But since women have so many more choices, ranging from the color of their suits, their style, how they accesorize, makeup, perfume, etc., the choices they make can effect how *some* people view them. Now, I work in profession where clothes aren't supposed to matter (I am a scientist and professor) but I learned as a young graduate student they do when I went to the lab of a new collaborator to start a new project, and had him react to me by saying 'I asked for a scientist and I was sent a little girl.' Of course his impression of me changed after I produced numerous highly cited publications which we co-authored.... but if I had to interview for that opportunity I probably would not have been hired. When I intereview folks for either jobs in my lab, or jobs as faculty colleagues or dept. chairs, clothes have very little importance. The ability to communicate well does, the ability to intelligently talk about past work and future plans (as appropriate for the job) are critical. It goes without saying that a poorly written resume or research plan make you dead in the water. This is because we have a short period of time in which to determine if someone will be successful in the job, and success usually mean the ability to consistently produce high quality work. If someone can't even get their resume right, what kind of worker will they be. Another thing that is attractive in prospective employees is a high energy get it done attitude. You want to feel that the person you hire is going to pursue their work with vigor. The clothes are simply about not offending anyone and showing them that you understand what is considered appropriate attire for the specific situation, part of showing you are clued in and appropriate for the position. Its only the first 5%, but neverthless something that in *some professions* if you screwup can have the person not want to take you seriously. Its probably just as wrong to show up for an interview for a very creative position in a suit as it is to wear jeans to an interview for a corporate post. The biggest mistake I have seen young women scientists do is dress so provocatively in a professional situation that they end up elliciting dates and not job offers. That doesn't mean you don't want to look attractive, regardless of gender or sexual orientation we all like to be around attractive, pleasant, highly functioning people.

[mimitabby]

the male vs female perspective on hiring speaks volumes for the different reception men and women get at a job interview. Here where I work, we have seminars for professional men and women; and for the women, there is always "how to dress for an interview" and for the men, this subject is never mentioned.
I have been here for 25 years and have seen how the men and the women prospective hirees dress, and I'll tell you, the men come in wearing colorful sweaters or formal neutral colored suits and get hired in either.
Most women interviewed come in wearing dress suits, which is rather ironic considering this is a laboratory environment and they're going to be going up and down ladders and getting dirty so once they are hired they're not going to wear a dress again. I think I've worn a skirt twice in 25 years here, and that does NOT include my interview.
Having said that, listening to all you have to say scares the pants right off of me, I hope I never have to interview for a job again. Because if wearing panty hose and polished shoes is what's going to get me a job, I'll never get one.
mimi

[mimitabby]

The biggest mistake I have seen young women scientists do is dress so provocatively in a professional situation that they end up elliciting dates and not job offers. That doesn't mean you don't want to look attractive, regardless of gender or sexual orientation we all like to be around attractive, pleasant, highly functioning people.

Trisk, there was an article in the NYTimes about that very thing, young female doctors wearing low necklines and short skirts and sexy shoes were really lambasted. They were considered much too distracting for the job they need to do. (I for one would not appreciate a doctor who looks like the girl who does nails!)

[Triskeliongirl]

Trisk, there was an article in the NYTimes about that very thing, young female doctors wearing low necklines and short skirts and sexy shoes were really lambasted. They were considered much too distracting for the job they need to do. (I for one would not appreciate a doctor who looks like the girl who does nails!)

Its interesting you say that, because as I mentioned before, I got into an argument with someone over how a medical school applicant should dress for an interview. The folks that feel strongly about professional dress say that it shows they understand how to make their patient comfortable. If they don't wear the uniform so to speak, then the patients will have trouble both identifying them in the hustle and bustle of a hosptial environment and and more importantly, trusting them and taking their advice. For guys its easy, wear a blue suit, white shirt, dress shoes and tie. The successful girls wear the female equivalent, but the ones that try to express more of their personality so to speak don't. Its funny, you'll see a bunch of them in the corridor waiting to be intervied, and you know the pretty girl in the pastel suit isn't gonna make it. I am glad my job does not require a uniform.

[Offthegrid]

Lotsa advice ... must be a bit overwhelming. But I will just add that I read in a book once that a candidate got a job over another because he stood up when people came into the room to interview him. So I do that now, too. And mail that thank you note the second you leave the office so it gets there soon.

GOOD LUCK!

[mimitabby]

Yes, squeakywheel works too.
When I applied for this job, they wanted a guy to come back who'd left this lab. I was not the most qualified for the position, but i really wanted the job. I called once a week for about 3 or 4 weeks. At that point, they gave up on the other people and since I was persistent, I got that job.

[CycleChic06]

Oh my, I really had no idea I would get so many responses and so many helpful tips!!

I really appreciate all the responses, I knew I could get some good straight answers on this site, and I really appreciate the tips from all the HR people and hiring managers.

The company is an extremely small (12 people in total) company that does support research for the pharmaceutical industry. So it's a place that larger companies would turn to for outsourcing certain areas of research. My background is in pharmaceutical research and this would be a big jump for me with a lot of responsibilities into the more marketing and product management end of the business.

This is will actually be my second visit. I went in yesterday as a 'pre screen.' I was told it was not formal and would be just a look-see for me and the owner of the company. Since it was not an official interview I went the dress pants and a button down shirt instead of a suit. It may have been a mistake since a friend of mine who works there emailed me that day and said go buy a "knock-out suit" for the next interview, since "image is important when you are interacting with client." So that's where I am. I'm you've all convinced me - i'm going with the sheer hose!

But an interesting side note. I was all set to send a thank you note the next day via email the next day, but before I could the, owner of the company emailed me to set up my next interview. The business world, epsecially biotech moves very fast and I wonder if written thank you notes sent by mail are outdated...the world travels too fast for it now.

Thank you for all your help and interesting insights, I'll let you know how it goes.

Emily

[CycleChic06]

lastly no poppy seed bagels from here on out young lady because you'll test positive for opiates when they do the drug test.

Hee hee, this advice makes me laugh Probably the most useful piece of info

[Kimmyt]

I work in Pharm and let me just say that EVERYTHING is done via email. No mail in anythings unless its industry rags or catalogs. Every interview I was at, if I sent anything to the company it was an email to the person I had interviewed with. These seemed to go over favorably. The problem in Pharm is that many people are rocketing around from place to place so don't have time to answer phone calls, read their snail mail. Email can be accessed from anywhere on their trusty lappies.

Anyway, good luck on your second interview! If they responded to you that quickly, I'm sure you impressed them favorably!

K.

[DebW]

The biggest mistake I have seen young women scientists do is dress so provocatively in a professional situation that they end up elliciting dates and not job offers. That doesn't mean you don't want to look attractive, regardless of gender or sexual orientation we all like to be around attractive, pleasant, highly functioning people.

When I started as a scientist in the early 80s, you didn't see women dressed provocatively at professional meeting, but now you do. That may have been due to the fact that there were very few women in the physical sciences at the time (2 women in a room of 100 men was probably the norm), and most of us were rather odd-balls. Now such a meeting may be up to 20% women so maybe there's just more diversity. Now you see many women at professional scientific meetings in very feminine clothing, and those are mostly the younger women. Personally, I wear what I'm comfortable in (men's Dockers, button shirt, and running shoes) and I'm sure the colleagues who know me would faint if I ever did otherwise.

[DrBadger]

Having just gone through interviewing with technical companies this fall (oil industry though for me), I would suggest e-mailing a thank you letter ASAP after the interview, even the same day if possible. And then following up with a mailed hard copy. THis way you get the thank you in while they are hopefully still making decisions, but also have the formality of mailed thank you, which should only reinforce that they made the right decision in hiring you :-)

[Kitsune06]

I 2nd PABadger. That's what I did. Knowing your interviewer helps, too. do what you can to pick up personality traits and cues from their actions etc.

It's best job hunting when you don't *need* the job right then. Then you can be picky and choosy. My current manager is just incredible, sweet and understanding (which has helped a lot lately) and just clicked with my personality.

My dress is relatively unconventional... pinstripe suit w/ varying shirts underneath- for very formal occasions, I'll wear a white (though it turns bluish purple in wrinkles etc) silk shirt underneath, kind of a traditional chinese shirt... and polished boots. One of my greatest assets is my personality, and the right employer gets to know that quickly... for better or for worse.


Uh... reading Trek's. If we're going to "go there"- if it's necessary, yes there are pills available to allow you to mask the presence of naughty no-no in your blood/saliva/urine and I've uh... er... known people who've used it successfully, but why leave it to chance? Fake urine is available at a very comparable price and is guaranteed. Keep the hotpack on the bottle or nuke it for awhile and wear it against the body. Gotta keep it at or around 99 degrees, (hence the liquid crystal thermometer tape on the side of the pee cup)... because varying heat will be cause for failure of the test. These bottles also have an unnerving rate of leaks so be sure to check for that before you go, too.
PM me if mmbr.

[SouthernBelle]

I have to ask why you think neutral hosiery are outdated?

& don't wear black stockings as some people think they are only appropriate for evening. I do like them with a black skirt myself.

[bcipam]

Although its not really required any longer to wear hose with a suit or dress for an interview I would. It just shows respectfulness and that you are serious about meeting with your potential employer. Do your best to look your best. Everything is noticed!

And neutral colored hose only! no - colors not even black!