Most Job Seekers are familiar with the common interviewing advice that “practice and preparation make perfect”. The idea being that an individual should expend the time necessary to get ready for a scheduled interview. What does a Job Seeker do, however, if there is limited time to prepare?
It has probably happened to most Job Seekers, a call is received from a Recruiter or Hiring Manager inquiring if you can come in for an interview either later that day or the next. This generally happens when you are seeking an hourly position that has a short recruiting period, or the Recruiter has fallen behind and is looking to catch up on filling the position. Whatever the reason, a Job Seeker has to do quick work to get ready for the big event.
The following are some tips to consider if you are faced with an interview on short notice:
• Consider It An Opportunity – Don’t turn a positive event, such as an interview, into a negative due to the short notice period. Keep your cool and use your time wisely (24 hours should be plenty of time for a savvy Job Seeker to get ready). You are fortunate to receive an interview, so focus on the positive. Expending energy worrying or complaining will just make you more likely to stumble during the interview. Get plenty of rest the night before, so you will be sharp.
• Take On the Challenge – By all means, do NOT outright turn down an interview in today’s economy, even if the interview is on short-notice. You can, however, ask for a different time if it is for an on-the-spot Phone Screen and you are not in a position to talk, or you are currently working and the proposed day/time does not work with your job schedule.
• Prepare Your Outfit – Assume you will be interviewing at any time. Always have your interview outfit ready by keeping it clean and pressed at all times. This will save you from having to do some last-minute scrambling at the Dry Cleaners or with an iron.
• Ask the Recruiter – The Recruiter can provide you with some basic information quickly, that will help you in your last-minute preparation. Ask for the names of who you will be interviewing with, find out the address in order to do a directions map, and (if possible) request that the Job Description be e-mailed to you. If the Job Description is not available, then review the advertisement that prompted you to apply, in order to re-familiarize yourself with the position.
• Review Frequently Asked Questions – There are some questions that are asked in virtually all interviews (i.e., Frequently Asked Questions). You can expect these questions to be asked and prepare your answers in your mind, ahead of time. I suggest you go beyond just preparing your answers and actually practice (ahead of time) your responses using a family member or friend as a mock-interviewer. This way you can be ready, on short notice, to participate in an interview. Check out our website at www.wnyjobs.com for a review of some of the most frequently asked questions.
• Rev the Search Engines – Modern technology is terrific when it comes to immediate, on-demand research. When scheduled for a last-minute interview, hop online and do a quick search engine (using whichever search tool you prefer) review of the company you will be interviewing with. This will allow you to have at least a basic knowledge (product/service, history, Mission Statement, etc.) of the company and provide you with some fodder to ask a question or two. Another suggestion is to perform this search whenever you are applying for a position, and then keep a file of the company, in anticipation of them calling for an interview.
• Pre-Print Documents – I suggest you should have already prepared printed copies of your Resume, along with a References page containing their contact information. Bring several copies of your Resume with you, along with a copy of the References (to be provided if asked).
On most occasions, a Job Seeker has plenty of time to prepare for an Interview, usually several days or even a week to get ready. This leaves plenty of time to assemble your outfit and research the organization. Sometimes, though, only a limited amount of notice is given to get ready for an Interview.
Don’t stress out by the short-notice! You could probably even make a case that it is beneficial for a prepared Job Seeker to have only a short-notice, because it limits your ability to worry about or overanalyze the situation. Use some of the tips above and you will be ready for any last-minute interviews.
As always, best of luck in your job search.
The following has been prepared for the general information of RochesterJobs readers. It is not meant to provide advice with respect to any specific legal or policy matter and should not be acted upon without verification by the reader.
Joe Stein
WNY Human Resources Professional
Feel free to contact Joe Stein regarding questions or comments at:
Joe Stein
