Ask Dorothy

Welcome to another section of Ask Dorothy, where I post a comment or answer to questions that I have received from Twitter: @dorothyjs, my contact me page or through the comment sections of my posts.

Here is a great question from Stacy: Is it appropriate to ask who will be conducting the interview?

Stacy

I have applied for a big job and I’m crossing my fingers I will be contacted for an interview. If and when I am contacted, is it appropriate to ask who will be conducting the interview? I feel like knowing if it will be a panel of people or just the the director of the agency might help better prepare me for the interview.

Thanks. 🙂

My Response

To answer your question yes, it is appropriate to ask for the names of the people who will be interviewing you. As a general rule it is also acceptable to find out the format of the interview. Once you have the names of those conducting the interview, you can look them up on LinkedI and learn about them. That way, you’ll be far more prepared for your interview.

Know Your Interviewers

Why is it important to know who is interviewing you? It’s all about preparing yourself. You will be more comfortable about being interviewed if you know the format and who the hiring manager(s) are. Sometimes just looking up the persons name and seeing a photo will help you relax and focus on the actual interview. People have a tendency to imagine interviews as a really big deal. That somehow your life will change forever for better or for worse. Once you’ve looked the person up and learn a little about them you’ll see they’re just like everyone else. Everyone puts their pants on one leg at a time.

Also, knowing the format of the interview will put your mind at ease. If it’s a panel interview with 6 people you can prepare for it. You’ll be ready to look at, respond to, and impress 6 people. Just reducing the unknowns will help you. When you know what you’re dealing with it seems less daunting and scary.

Whatever the case, being prepared is critical for all interview formats from one-on-ones to panel interviews, you need to bring your A game.

Don’t worry, there won’t be a pop quiz about your knowledge of the interview panelists. Although you may score some points referring to a panel member’s past experience, hobbies, or even the University they attended.

It’s all about appearing and more importing BEING professional. Asking the recruiter about the interview is a good thing. It shows you’re organized and want to be prepared. If you don’t get a straight answer it probably means the interview won’t be very organized. So just be ready and always be on your A game during interviews!

Are you taking notes people?! This information is golden! I expect a hefty commission when you get your dream job!

Photo by: Victor1558