| Most job candidates think their interview begins when | | | | receptionist while waiting for your interview to |
| they are introduced to the interviewer at the start | | | | begin;When someone walks by while you're waiting |
| of the question-and-answer session. If you wait until | | | | and starts a brief conversation with you.Those are |
| then to display your "best interview behavior," you | | | | just a few examples.Imagine Joe the candidate |
| may lose the job before you answer the first | | | | arriving at an office building for an interview which is |
| question!This is a rather extreme example, but one | | | | being held on the 18th floor. Joe gets into the |
| of the nation's leading airlines often flies job | | | | elevator and says "Good morning" to a woman who |
| candidates to their headquarters for job interviews. | | | | is already in it. The woman responds with "Good |
| The airline provides the round-trip airfares. What the | | | | morning. Are you here to see Mr. Jones?" Joe says |
| lucky candidates don't realize is that their tickets are | | | | "Yes. I'm interviewing with him for an engineering |
| "tagged" to identify them as job applicants on their | | | | position." Because Joe is nervous, he says a bit too |
| way to an interview with the airline. Those | | | | much. "I'm really dreading this. I hear Jones is a |
| candidates are being evaluated from the moment | | | | grouchy old bastard." The elevator arrives at the 18th |
| they enter the airport!If candidate Mary Smith is | | | | floor and they both step out. Mr. Jones is there to |
| inconsiderate to fellow passengers or rude to a flight | | | | greet Joe, and says, "Good morning. I see you've |
| attendant, for example, this information is reported | | | | already met my daughter." (There's a TV commercial |
| to the hiring manager before Mary arrives for her | | | | similar to this.)I'm not trying to make you paranoid, |
| interview. She'll go through the interview, may do a | | | | but if you suspect that every person associated with |
| great job answering the questions, and will be totally | | | | the company is a spy for the hiring manager, do you |
| mystified about why she is NOT selected for the | | | | think you'll be more aware of your behavior while in |
| position.Here are more typical situations where your | | | | their presence? You bet!Don't wait until you meet the |
| interactions with people prior to your interview may | | | | interviewer to turn on the charm. Your interview may |
| affect the hiring decision:When you talk to someone | | | | begin--and be over--long before you realize it!Bonnie |
| from HR on the telephone to schedule your | | | | Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success |
| interview;When you exchange small talk while riding in | | | | System and free information-packed ezine, |
| the elevator with someone;When you talk to the | | | | "Career-Life Times. |