Confirming the Interview and Showing up

Congratulations on receiving an invitation to interview! At this point, the employer will have reached out and offered a few options for a day and time that works best for you to interview. Before you respond, you should make all necessary personal and professional arrangements to ensure your appointment works on your end. If you need clarification, ask about the length and location of the interview, but once you’ve confirmed with the employer, it is your responsibility to follow through with the commitment. We’re all human and things happen, but if your availability changes based on an emergency, professional etiquette dictates that you notify the employer as soon as possible and try to reschedule. On the other hand, if you no longer want to interview with this employer or have found a job elsewhere, do not ignore the employer–instead, respectfully notify them that you will no longer be interviewing and thank them for the opportunity.

Dressing for Success

One of the clearest displays of professional etiquette comes from your wardrobe. What you wear is one of the first things people notice about you and can indicate position, confidence, and respect.

Expectations on how to dress for an interview vary by industry, job title, and company culture, but more polished clothing may elicit a positive reaction from your interviewers. In addition to attire, it is worth paying attention to your hair, nails, makeup, and personal hygiene, even if you will be virtually interviewing. When in doubt about what to wear, an ironed buttoned shirt or blouse works well up top, and khakis, slacks, suit skirt, or dress for the bottom. Here are some additional quick tips:

• Try on your clothes a week before your interview to make sure they look and fit how you want
• Wear clean garments that aren’t overly worn or tattered
• Avoid wearing clothes that are too loose, too tight, or show much skin
• Wear closed-toe, non-athletic shoes
• Neutral colors are safe bets like navy, black, gray, or tan/khaki
• Try not to draw attention away from yourself by pulling focus towards your wardrobe
• If you’re unsure of what to wear, use what your future coworkers wear as a reference

Professional Communication During Interviews

What you say and don’t say during an interview also influences an employer’s thoughts about how you would perform in a role, fit with the company culture, or what your motivations are for pursuing this job. 

When speaking in an interview:

• Share what you know about the company and what makes you excited about this opportunity
• Talk about your accomplishments, skills, and how your experience qualifies you for this position with the company
• Ask questions towards the end of the interview to learn more about how the position will fit with you
• Ask what the next steps will be near the end of the interview or when you can expect to hear back from the employer on updates about their decision

It is ok to:

• Make small talk at the beginning of the interview, like talking about your day
• Ask for clarification or to repeat the question

You’ll want to shy away from:

• Saying that you’re nervous or uncomfortable—if you need a moment to compose yourself, ask if you can be excused to go to the restroom to gather your thoughts and nerves
• Jokes—they’re fine if they’re lighthearted and not crass, but if you’re unsure whether your joke will land, don’t say it
• Talking about salary or benefits early in the interview process; If these are important topics to you, you can ask them towards the end of the interview

You should not:

• Bad-mouth or speak negatively about former employers or positions
• Overshare or say things that are too personal
• Be arrogant in going over your accomplishments
• Use buzz words or clichés (saying that your family is your biggest achievement or that being a perfectionist is your greatest weakness)
• Lie
• Stray away too far from the question
• Make comments that could come off as hurtful or disrespectful
• Curse or use colorful language
• Use work history examples or share stories that are from a long time ago, use more current examples instead
• Be long-winded in your responses, try to be concise
• Say that you don’t know an answer; this might be the case, but you will want to have come prepared to talk about why you are a good candidate for this job

Courtesy

Professional etiquette is very similar to common courtesy. Greeting others, saying please and thank you, shaking hands, knocking before entering, and actively listening are all forms of courtesy in a professional setting and especially in an interview. If you don’t show courtesy in an interview, there’s a chance it goes unnoticed, but could also be seen as rude or disrespectful. By being courteous, you are demonstrating that you are pleasant to be around and in turn, employers will also want to have you on their team.

Removing Distractions (for you and for the interviewers)

When you’re in a professional environment, you want to remove distractions, especially those in an interview that could take the focus away from you. Make sure that your phone is either on silent or in your purse or car. If you need to have your phone available for an emergency, let the interviewers know or reschedule the interview for another time. Reaching for your phone or, worse yet, answering a call or text during an interview is unprofessional and shows the employer that you would rather be talking to someone else. Other distractions could be flashy accessories, headphones, or excessive perfume/cologne. If you are virtually interviewing, let your roommates know that you need privacy, leave your pets outside or with someone who can watch them, and try to use a well-lit, neutral background.

Mannerisms

Your behavior and mannerisms are also worth noting. Mannerisms are expressions or quirks you do with your face, hands, posture, or speech, often without realizing. Just like societal norms, professional etiquette dictates that some mannerisms are appropriate while others should be avoided. Sitting straight, maintaining casual eye contact, smiling, and speaking audibly are professional mannerisms one should try to exhibit during an interview. Nerves can build up before and during an interview that will affect behavior, but here are mannerisms to avoid during an interview:

• Saying um, uh, and like repeatedly
• Touching your face or playing with your hair
• Wringing your hands, cracking knuckles, tapping your fingers, or using your hands too much
• Crossing your arms
• Looking around the room too much or making intense eye contact
• Slouching in your seat
• Playing and fidgeting with a pen or other item
• Shaking your leg noticeably
• Cursing

Before an interview, practice removing some of these undesired mannerisms and record yourself to see if you catch anything else that you may want to work on. Although some of these mannerisms can be interpreted as being insincere or standoffish, none are automatic disqualifiers (except for cursing), so don’t stress yourself out too much if you can’t help doing a few of these. Keeping your hands folded in front of you can help minimize some of these mannerisms and preparing your answers for stock questions can save you from searching for words.

Following Up

On the evening of your interview or the day after, you’ll want to send a simple follow-up email to the interviewers thanking them for their time, questions, and the opportunity to discuss the position. Following up shows your interest in the position but also professionalism and gratitude. You’ll get extra points if you mention all the interviewers’ names and get them correct or if you reference something that was mentioned in the interview (“I was really impressed that we both started out working as groundskeepers for Boise Parks and Rec”). Also, if you did not discuss the next steps or when you can expect to hear back from the employer during the interview, feel free to ask in your follow-up email. In the event that the employer beats you to the punch and thanks you for the interview, you should still respond with thanks on your behalf for their time, questions, and opportunity.

Regardless of how you think the interview went or if you decide to pursue a different employment opportunity, do not ghost the employer or fail to send them a thank you email. You can even politely let the employer know that you are deciding to go a different route, but acknowledging their time and thanking them will leave doors open for future opportunities.