Several silly questions about interviews

InsideInsurance

Jacket is totally up to you, it is polite just to ask if its ok to take it off but not essential.

Cold hands are not an issue at all, means you have a warm heart according to my grandma. Sweaty hands are unpleasant (even if you cant really do much about it) so a last second dry is good but not an obvious rubbing it down your trouser leg.

As to names, you are going to be colleagues, he's not your master, and so I would call him by his first name. If he asks for you as Mr Smith and introduces himself as Mr Jones then use the formal name but personally I would have already asked him to call me by my first name and would be surprised if he then didnt give his own first name for use

Wyndham

I may undo the buttons on the jacket (I think it was Tony Blair who used to do this - he'd sit down and it would be undone, then he'd stand up and do the button up). You may find it more comfortable that way?

A good interviewer will be expecting a few nerves, and a few are useful as they make you sharp (too many are not they make you babble or freeze) A good interviewer will also help put you at your ease.

olias

OP, you need to consider/plan responses to the likely questions you will be asked together with learning a little about the role and company. These are the important things you need to concentrate on, not the sort of things you mentioned.

I made the mistake in a very important interview of overplanning the unimportant like you. I had viewed the interview room previously, and there were 3 chairs for the interview board, and one opposite for the interviewee - no tables or desks. I had it in mind that I should march accross the room confidently and firmly shake each of the panel by the hand whilst introducing myself. I ran that scenario over and over whilst waiting to be called in.

Unfortunately, when called in, I saw that each of the panel now had a low, wide coffee table in front of their chair. I panicked and tried to continue with my well planned introduction, unfortunately the tables were too wide to lean over so as I tried with the first, with it being so low, I over balanced and ended up on my hands and knees, sprawled on the table, knocking paperwork and drinks flying, desperately flailing my arm around trying to shake hands, whilst the interviewer recoiled in horror.:rotfl:

The moral - don't over plan, and just go with the flow.

Olias

yumyums

Thanks again for all the help everyone.
When I posted the thread I had already spent several days preparing - learning about the company, the industry and thinking of answers to possible competency questions. When it got closer to interview time I started panicking about the smaller details, hence this thread!
I left my suit jacket on in the end, my hands were a bit cold but at least they were dry. I don't think I used the interviewers name at all as someone suggested. Anyway, I recently found out they want to offer me the job which is great and all my preparation paid off! Just looking forward to being back in employment now.

Errata

Congratulations and well done.

t0rt0ise

Oh great. I just read the thread and it's really nice to see a good outcome. Well done.

ladylouise62

Congrats!!!!

I know it's a bit late, but just for anyone else out there worrying about interviews, I would use the cold hands as an ice-breaker "Sorry for the cold hands - I wouldn't be surprised if there was snowman somewhere in my family tree", or something like that. Doing a pile of interviews is boring and anything that makes an interviewee stand out (in a good way of course), is great.... which I say from experience as an interviewer

LadyMissA

yumyums wrote: »

Thanks again for all the help everyone.
When I posted the thread I had already spent several days preparing - learning about the company, the industry and thinking of answers to possible competency questions. When it got closer to interview time I started panicking about the smaller details, hence this thread!
I left my suit jacket on in the end, my hands were a bit cold but at least they were dry. I don't think I used the interviewers name at all as someone suggested. Anyway, I recently found out they want to offer me the job which is great and all my preparation paid off! Just looking forward to being back in employment now.

well done you