The Who, What, Wear, When, Why, and How of Interviewing: Tips to Help Gen Y
By Lynn Hazan & Claire Mattison
www.lhazan.com
Who to pay attention to:
• Do preliminary research about the company you are interviewing with. Look at its
website; track the company and its presence on social media sites like Linkedin,
FaceBook and Twitter. Also investigate the hiring manager and staff you will
meet.
• Before the end of the interview, ask for a business card so you can double check
names and their titles and send follow up thank you letters.
• Be nice to everyone you meet! Be aware that some companies ask their
receptionists/front line staff for feedback on how you presented yourself.
• Know yourself, your strengths, and your areas for improvement. Be honest about
what you can come in and immediately do.
What you should do to prepare:
• Know the position you are interviewing for. Make sure you exemplify the
character traits and skills you can contribute to the position and the company.
• Turn off your cell phone.
• Bring a portfolio of samples. Your portfolio can be in an electronic format. This
can include writing samples, class projects or “spec” (speculative) work.
• Make sure everything is letter perfect. There should be no spelling mistakes or
typos on your resume or samples.
• Stay current on world events. You want to be able to hold a conversation about
what major events are happening today and how they may relate to the job.
• Practice answering standard interview questions: For example, Tell me about
yourself? Why should I hire you over anyone else?
• Eat a light meal before your interview. This keeps your mind active.
Wear professional clothing:
• Plan your outfit. Make sure there are no missing buttons, holes, or stains.
• You don’t want to be remembered for your smell. Don’t wear heavy fragrance
and avoid smoking before your interview.
• Wear clothing that reflects the environment of the company. It is always good to
dress in good taste: No jeans, short skirts, or low cut tops, and avoid large labels
on your clothing. Look at websites like JCrew.com, TheLimited.com and
BananaRepublic.com for outfit ideas.
• Wear clothes that fit well and are comfortable. When you are comfortable, you
are confident.
When timing matters:

• If you are bringing any print materials, print them the day before, not the day of.
If you are submitting an electronic portfolio, e-mail it with the resume you are
sending when you first contact the employer.
• Allow extra time to get to the interview. Plan for emergencies and delays.
• Send a “Thank you” via email within 24 hours of the interview.
• Even if you are not accepted, follow up about employment. Let the company
know you are interested in future opportunities.
Why you are important to a company:
• Show how you can add value to the position and the company. Gen Yers add new
and diverse thought processes to companies.
• Do talk about leadership, internship, and school experiences. They all count.
• Be honest about your work and what you have accomplished. Embellishment of
your experiences can get you into trouble. Lack of experience does not
necessarily disqualify you from a job opportunity.
• Employers want people with tech skills. Stress your experience and comfort with
social networking and new media.
How you should act during the interview:
• Throw out your gum before the interview. You want the interviewer to focus on
what you are saying, not what you are chewing.
• Greet the employer with a firm handshake, smile, and make eye contact.
• Be positive and enthusiastic.
• Don’t fall into the trap of trying to mimic the interviewer.
• Don’t get too comfortable in the interview. Just because the interviewer puts his
or her feet on the desk does not mean you should!
• Use appropriate language: no swear words or crutch words such as “like” and
“umm.”
• Don’t play with things on peoples’ desks.
• Talk about what you are going to do at the company, not what your future plans
are once you leave the company.
• Be realistic about titles and salary.
• Ask questions! This shows you are interested.
• Feel free to ask about growth and learning opportunities. Be realistic and
pragmatic. You may have some boring work to do. That’s part of the job.
• Enjoy the interview. You can never predict the outcome, yet you can help
influence the decision.
© Copyright 2009, Lynn Hazan & Associates. All rights reserved.