This is the first of a special three part series of columns that will cover the essentials of interviewing, UFC- style. From corporate image to hard core interview skills, Sandra will dispense with the trite and true and go straight to the critical stuff nobody ever talks about… like what to do if you’re late, how much sucking up is too much, what to do with your hands, what to include in your script, how to sell yourself and how to recover if you throw up on your interviewer.
Part I: Corporate Image – Get One
Congratulations, you have an interview. Your grades and accomplishments have gotten you this far. Now the beauty contest begins. At this point, intelligence is assumed. This is about how you present yourself, how you communicate your thoughts and what overall impression you make on your interviewers — all of those magical elements that converge into what firms like to call FIT.
Image can sink you before you open your mouth. No amount of sit-ups will help two weeks before the interview but the right suit and haircut can transform the Faculty Quasimodo into Don Draper. When you pick your interview attire, you want to go for standard issue. Leather garments, lace, cleavage, chest hair and loud or fluorescent colors that attract attention should be avoided. Gravitate towards sombre colours and clean lines, preferably in a conservative cut, although girls can accessorize with colour. Splurge on the shoes. Shoes are the first thing women notice. We can’t help it. Ladies, wear heels that you can walk in. Steer clear of heavy scents and perfumes. Don’t get the mohawk or Maori facial tat the day before the interview. This is not the time for radical changes to your appearance, other than to remove the tribal bone from your septum.
Corporate imagine is not only about a power suit, good shoes and a sharp haircut. It’s also about your demeanour. How you walk, stand, sit and carry yourself, whether you lean forward or slouch when you speak, what you do with your hands, whether you make eye contact or put up a barrier with crossed arms — the right body language or demeanor can enhance your image by projecting confidence and likeability. Women, smile until your face hurts. I don’t care what Camille Paglia says. As a society, we are programmed to be repelled by dour-faced women. Have you ever seen a pouty Miss Universe? By contrast, grinning men are often perceived as weak or suffering from idiocy, so boys you want to smile occasionally but without teeth. BTW, check those teeth for spinach before you engage. Also guys, keep your hands out of your pockets when you’re standing around; makes you look creepy and disengaged.
Be prepared for the unpredictability of active combat. Your interview prep kit (adjust for gender) should include a nail clipper, a comb, toothbrush/toothpaste, breath mints, extra panty hose, a compact mirror, bare-minimum make-up kit, a safety pin, deo and headache medication. Look the part, put your game face on, stand up straight, march into that interview as if you had a spine, look people in the eye, shake hands like you mean it, make your point confidently, put your hands where everybody can see them and take no prisoners!
Sandra Rosier is a former Supreme Court of Canada clerk who has worked at large firms in Toronto and Boston. Having come to her senses, Sandra currently works as a tax advisor at a Toronto-based organization. Her etiquette column for lawyers appears every other Monday at lawandstyle.ca. Got a question for Sandra? Email us.
Image by Aidan Jones