Fearless InterviewingI had a client who had absolutely no job offers until he
shaved off his shaggy beard. When he got a job (soon after shav-
ing), he sure missed his beard, but he didn’t complain about
earning $80,000 a year!
Accessories Always bring a pad of paper and a pen or pencil
for taking notes. Avoid bringing a cell phone, pager, or hand-
held device that may ring or sound off an alarm, which could
send the whole meeting rather rudely off course. Even having a
cell phone turned off and strapped to your belt, in my opinion,
can make you appear to not be fully focused on the interview.
Interviewers expect, and should get, your full and undivided
attention.
By the way, whether or not you normally wear a wristwatch,
wear one to the interview. It signals that you’re conscious of time,
and most interviewers want an employee who has that attribute.
Finally, I suggest that if you don’t have a briefcase or mascu-
line-looking leather portfolio, buy one. There are plenty of brief-
cases that look like real leather but are made from other materi-
als and cost less than $25 at an office supply store. The same goes
for portfolios. Maybe you have nothing better than a copy of the
Sunday paper or the Wall Street Journalto put inside it. That’s
OK. Carrying a briefcase or handsome portfolio will make you
look 100 percent prepared to do business!
Women
Shoes Wear pumps with a medium-sized heel. Do not wear
high, excessively spiky heels or boots. Black, brown, taupe, or
navy is fine. Avoid flashy shoes with bright colors like red or glit-
tery gold. No tennis shoes, open toes, or sandals. Flats may be
OK for an extremely casual workplace, but low pumps are pre-
ferred.
Dresses or Suits In the workshops I teach, I always have at
least one woman who says, “I wore pants to the interview and I
got the job!” That’s good news, but she is the exception to the
rule. It’s fine if you wear pants to work if that fits the company
culture, but an interview is another story.