Continuing on with our interview series
in this video I want to talk to you
about preparing for the interview in
terms of logistics and the material you
bring with you. What do I mean by
logistics
those are things like the time you
arrive location parking schedule
all of those things so here's some good
tips there how early should you arrive
to an interview
normally about 15 minutes early but you
try to walk into the office where you'll
be interviewing uh no more than five to
ten minutes early okay.
Now that means you have to account for
traffic
directions any other thing that could
get in the way
so my recommendation is particularly if
you're going to a place in heavy traffic
or
um you're not terribly familiar with it
show up considerably early 30 minutes or
more now that doesn't mean you pull up
to
the building or right outside where
you'll be interviewing
okay uh go to the back of the parking
garage go to the back of the parking lot
or just
wait somewhere close by until once again
it's it's close to that time that will
give you time to
study up on some of the things we're
going to talk about we talk about in
other videos like research you should do
prior to undertaking an interview that
type of thing and
uh we'll talk about a minute that you
should have flash cards with you you
know with information about the company
that's a good time to review those
things um and just make any
last minute um you know take any
last-minute actions that that you need
to be successful in the interview
okay. Uh figuring out where the location
is again you should probably figure that
out ahead of time so even
going a day early and scouting out the
place so you know exactly where to go
uh that type of thing timing it
at the at that time so you know how to
judge for traffic
where do you park um oftentimes it's
reserved parking right you have to park
on different levels of a parking deck
sometimes it's street parking and need
to be validated
that type of thing. So anyway make
certain that you account for all of
those things
and schedule, what your schedule is going
to be
once you arrive there who are you going
to meet with memorizing people's
names ahead of time memorizing the
schedule of
what's going to happen throughout the
interview process also an important
thing
to remember is that
it obviously things are subject to
change
you never know what's going to happen
you could get stuck in traffic so they
you could be given the wrong information
so make certain to print out any
information
that you have ahead of time that is any
emails back and forth with the company
any directions things like that
so if something happens to say you show
up and the the
assistant or secretary says um well your
interview was an hour ago
right you missed it that looks terrible
for you
but if you have a a copy of the
email you were sent that told you this
specific time
right rather than you simply haven't
tried to explain yourself or saying it
wasn't your fault or you don't know how
it happened
that type of thing when you have some
level of justification
uh so once again you're trying to
preserve face there and
and not squash an opportunity by you
know the happening of misfortune
okay so remember that all the
correspondence the the schedule the map
of where you're supposed to park
parking voucher anything like that that
comes with it so
those are the logistics to think of. Now
things to bring with you
all righ. One, you're going to come in
probably with a portfolio
or maybe a shoulder bag of sorts okay
just make sure whatever that is looks
professional most of the time people
just bring a small you know
covered portfolio type thing um leather
uh fake leather that type of thing with
a nice looking pen
but in there have copies of your resume
bring business cards because you never
know you'll meet people that you aren't
interviewing with
and uh when you introduce yourself you
can once again hand over
your business card that type of thing
and I know you say well
you know you're changing positions type
thing
this is particularly useful if you have
a general business card as just
marketing professional that type of
thing where people can contact you
and it has your cell phone number on it.
Recommendations right so if you have
letters of recommendation or references
uh that type of thing so have a sheet of
your references with contact information
title position all of those things
but also if you have any letters of
recommendation that you think may be
relevant to bring with you there you go
especially if you weren't able to submit
them during the application process.
Uh notepad and pen to take notes
and then company info right
things about the company like flat
written out on flash cards or on sheets
just things like uh what's the structure
who are the executives if there's
um if there are people in the chain
of authority that you're applying for
understanding that knowing the company's
products
well that type of thing even if it's
with the outside of your functional area
within the company
having good strong company information
and knowledge will be extremely helpful
to you during the interview process and
then a list of practice questions some
questions being things that they are
likely to ask you but also a list of
things that you can ask
them okay it's good to just keep
refreshing these things
because as we talk about in a separate
video you're going to have
a lot of simple questions about what
happened in the past
but when it comes to behavior-based
questions either from the past or in the
present future hypothetical you're going
to need
to use stories from your past things
that happened in the past that
illustrate
how you would react or give an example
of
something you learned from or time you
were successful or failed right
and having these stories just
encapsulated very succinctly that you
can plug and play where necessary as
part of the interview process
is very important. So having some of
these things written down just things to
remember and think about
right. Uh information about the company
okay
again I cannot stress this enough it's
going
we talk about in other videos things
that you should research ahead of time.
People oftentimes forget when you're in
a company that people outside the
company don't know these things
so you want to make sure you do right so
it's going to take some research
and then uh lastly information about
yourself
right you're going to practice going
down your resume and taking somebody
through
your history you're going to practice
repeating what you said in a cover
letter if you did a cover letter that is
why you did these things in the past
what you were striving for
how these things translate into value
for the company
what you aspire to in the company that
type of thing.
So, taken all together bring these things
with you prepare ahead of time
understand the logistics and it will
make you more likely to be successful
during the interview.