Martin Yate, CPC, Author of the New York Times Bestseller Knock Em Dead – The Ultimate Job Search Guide
1. What do you do if you are ten minutes late for a job interview?
MY: Always leave for a job interview in time to get to the site of the interview twenty to thirty minutes early, so that you can guarantee showing up for the interview exactly on time. Nevertheless, the best laid plans can go wrong so leave for a job interview with the names and telephone #’s for the interviewer(s), their assistants and to whoever else may have set-up the interview. If you are held up in anyway, you can call and text the appropriate numbers, saying, “Apologies, held up in traffic, I may be a few minutes late.”
2. What do you do if you forget to bring a hard copy of your resume?
MY: As part of your interview preparation, you should create an interview kit, which will include directions, names, telephone numbers and a version of your resume that is easily downloadable from your telephone. Then, as soon as you arrive, explain your problem to reception and ask their assistance in connecting you with a printer. This is another reason you want to arrive at the interview location early.
3. What do you do if you forget to turn off your cell phone before the interview begins, do you dig in your bag or pocket to try and shut it off or do you hope it doesn’t ring during your interview?
MY: Do something about it immediately, because waiting for it to ring will be a constant distraction. You can either bring it out of your bag or pocket and turn it off without without saying a word. Or you might say, “please excuse me for one moment while I turn my telephone off.” How you turn it off is important, with either approach you should never look to see who has called or is sending you messages. This will distract you and tell the interviewer that there are more important things in life than landing this job. Right now, nothing is more important than turning this job interview into a job offer, so turn off your phone without looking at it.
New York Times bestseller Martin Yate is the author of Knock Em Dead – The Ultimate Job Search Guide, now going into its 27th edition. It is the keystone of a 14 book series, with each book addressing a different aspect of job search and modern career management. Collectively published in some 63 foreign language editions, the Knock Em Dead way is unique in its scope and global acceptance in industrialized nations.
Learn more about Martin: http://www.knockemdead.com/about
Connect with Martin on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/martinyatecpc
Learn more about the Knock Em Dead series: http://www.knockemdead.com/#channel=VII010E2E7