Basic Professionalism in the Interviewing Process
For many students, the road to professionalism starts with the interviewing process for their first corporate job or internship. Unfortunately, many students are turned away from positions because they simply cannot act in a professional manner during those initial interviews. Today, I'm going to share some of the basics of professionalism that might not be obvious to those looking to get their first job in 2024 and beyond.
Attire - if you want a job, you're going to need to prove to a potential employer that you are able to dress the part. This is especially true for those looking to move into client serving roles such as those in public accounting. Client facing or not. However, you will be a reflection of the company that hired you and that company wants to know that you're not going to show up and make them look bad. While every corporate interview is different, here are a few things that I have seen in the last few years that you should probably avoid:
Don't interview in a T-Shirt - Have a suit and tie ready, and scale down from there as needed.
Don't wear headphones as an accessory - headphones may be required for a virtual interview , but outside of that many interviewers will see this as rude because they won't know if you're listening or not.
Avoid visible tattoos - while many employers have changed their view on this in recent years, I would not risk it. Do your best to cover any visible tattoos while you are interviewing.
Language - when interviewing, you want to come off as confident, competent, and polite. Due to the many generational differences we face in the modern workplace, it is very easy to miscommunicate because of the language you use. Professionals understand this and adapt their speech to match the requirements of their workplace. Interviewers observe the language that candidates use and are constantly trying to answer the question “Can I trust this person to represent the Company well?” Again, this is very important for client facing roles where that representation can mean winning or losing business. To better your chances of getting past The interview stage, I would avoid the following:
Don't swear excessively - different people have different thresholds for what excessive use of swear words is, but most professionals use these words sparingly. Don't be the person that walks into the interview with 50% of your words being something that would be censored on television.
Don't use slang words - You and the interviewer are likely going to come from different generations, and if you want them to understand you and your value, you're going to have to communicate in a way they can understand. Because of the multi-generational nature of the workplace, slang words are not viewed favorably because they are at best ineffective communication tools and at worst a very awkward HR meeting waiting to happen.
Preparation - I'll be honest here, half of the interviewing process for entry-level roles is proving to the interviewer that you care about yourself and the role for which you are interviewing. Nobody wants to work with someone who isn't going to put in the effort to prepare for anything. These basics will get you further than a good portion of candidates:
Research the company and the role - coming in with an understanding of what position you are interviewing for and what the company does is essential to making a good impression in an interview. Taking an hour of time to research the company beforehand will allow you to present yourself in a better light and ask good questions that demonstrate your interest in the role.
Show up on time - The person interviewing you (much like many other people you will meet in your career) is a professional that has spent years developing their skills and their Network and has graciously offered their time to interview you. Respect that time.
Maintain a dialogue - an interview is supposed to be a conversation. Don't let yourself ramble on for excessive amounts of time while trying to prove how smart you are to the other person. If you cannot convey your response to an interview question without excessive rambling, you have not prepared for the interview.
The professionalism in an interview is somewhat performative because that level of professionalism is not required 100% of the time. However, it is often your only chance to prove to an employer that you have the skills necessary to exist and communicate in the workplace. If you or a student who is actively seeking internships or full-time employment opportunities, it is imperative that you understand these fundamental aspects of professionalism in the interviewing process!