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64 Nail the Job Interview!

receptionist or secretary and anyone else you meet. Also, you
should appear competent in how you greet these people, sit, and
what you read. For example, you should greet the receptionist or
secretary by introducing yourself: “Good morning. I’m Jane Moiris. I
hnite n 9 o’clock appointment with Mr. Jameson. ” Wait to be invited to
sit in a specific place. If you are wearing an overcoat, tale it off
before sitting. Interviewers sometimes ask these employees for their
reaction to candidates: “What didyou think about the candidate? Did
you have n chance to talk to her? What did she do wide she was waiting to
meet me? Do you think you’ll like her?” Employees’ opinions of such
people can be very important to the interview process. So make
sure you treat everyone you meet as important to the interview.

23. When waiting for the interviewer, do something that
looks relevant to the interview and job.

While waiting to meet the interviewer, do something that looks
relevant to the organization and interview. For example, you might
engage the receptionist or secretary in small talk concerning the
organization, employees, and the interviewer. Try to learn some-
thing relevant to the interview. You might ask some of these
questions: “How many employees work here? How long hnveyou been with
the orgcrnization? Has Mr. Jameson been with this company long? What
did he do before nioviug to this position? How do most people like working
here? Wzat computer system doyou use?” Don’t overdo it by becoming
an interrogator or appearing self-centered by aslung questions about
parlung privileges, vacation time, benefits, or office space. Your
small talk should emphasize your interest in the organization as
well as generate information about the organization and interviewer
relevant to the interview. You might learn something important
that will help initiate small talk with the interviewer or raise a
question you feel needs to be answered. You might want to raise
certain questions with the interviewer if you were told in the lobby
that there’s a lot of stress in the organization, many employees have
left during the past six months, or not many people stay around
here more than two years. That’s important inside information
indicative of possible internal political and management problems
you may want to question. It’s best to learn this now rather than
become a victim of company stress or Byzantine politics.