In Case You Didn't Know: 10 Basic Tips for Interviewing

A few weeks back, I was listening to a friend vent about a job candidate who was 20 minutes late for an interview. This was not an entry-level candidate, but rather an experienced account manager who had been working at various tech startups for the past eight years. As my friend interviewed the candidate, he could not help but think – no matter how qualified you are, you are not a good fit here because our clients will not tolerate being told “there were no Ubers available” as you walk in late to their Quarterly Business Reviews, dinner meetings and the like. This is a common stance for an interviewer to take, but it’s also a more common mistake for an interviewee to make than you might expect. So here are 10 tips for interviewing, starting with the ultimate #1, be on time.

1. Be on time. I don’t mean show up at 10:00am for a 10:00am interview, show up at 9:50am. If you need to sit in the Starbucks across the street for 30 minutes to ensure you get there 10 minutes early, then that’s what you should do.
2. Don’t be TOO early. Unfortunately, if you show up at 9:35am for a 10:00am interview, you are now too early, and you’re putting pressure on the interviewer to take you early. S/he has a busy schedule, which is why s/he scheduled your meeting for a specific time. Respect that time. 10 minutes early is a good ballpark.
3. Do your research. Ask the company for an interview schedule (most will provide), and do your research on the people interviewing you. Look them up on LinkedIn, Twitter, and anywhere else you can find them. Note their current role, how long they’ve been with the company, and other interesting details. It’s okay for them to see you looking at their LinkedIn profile – it just shows you did your research beforehand, which demonstrates how much you care. This is good thing.
4. Dress appropriately. If you’re interviewing for a finance position at a bank, wear a suit. If you’re interviewing for an engineering position at a tech company, don’t. Err on the side of overdressed rather than underdressed, but part of doing your research is getting a feel for the company culture. I wouldn’t show up for an interview in my industry in a pants suit and pumps because that simply doesn’t fit with the culture most ad-tech companies are trying to curate.
5. Bring copies of your resume, preferably enough for each interviewer to keep a copy and one for yourself. Of course, you’ll already have studied up on your resume, but it’s always good to have a copy in case the interviewer requires about a specific item. This is one simple way for you to make the interviewer’s life easier.
6. Collect business cards. Ask for a business card from each interviewer. This is the easiest way to ensure you have everyone’s email, and it also demonstrates your interest in staying in touch.
7. Ask if it’s ok to connect with the interviewer on LinkedIn.
8. Send thank you emails by the end of the day.
9. Send handwritten thank you notes within 24 hours. To make this easier on yourself, keep a stack of thank you notes and some stamps in your portfolio case. This way, you can write personalized thank you notes right after your interview and mail them out the same day. A old fashioned, handwritten note can go a long way.
10. Keep it personal. From the email to the thank you note, to any follow-up correspondence, keep it personal. If you discussed your shared love of the Knicks, include a line about how you loved that point in the conversation. Same goes for any specific insights they shared with you about the company. The more personal details you include, the more memorable you become.

These are some great, simple tips that have been shared with me along the way. Feel free to comment with any other tips I may have missed!