Going to an interview ...

tell the person conducting the interview that they have a purdy mouth.

 

I don't know about a suit, but I think you have to wear a tie with nice slacks and a nice dress shirt.

 

I'm too poor for a suit. Always have gone with a nice shirt and tie and khakis, and it's done the trick for me.

Rhody, you make it sound as if you've done some part-time work for this publication. If so, you should have a little easier go of it. Familiarity always is a plus.

 

Tell then that you don't mind working for $30K or less a year. Other than that, everyone had good advice.

So many times, people interviewed at my shops and they weren't wearing a suit. So many times, non-suit-wearing-applicants were hired.

 

Wear a tie at the very least and look decent. Buy a suit at Goodwill if you can't afford better. Seriously...you get one shot to make a good impression.

If they've given you some papers beforehand to look at, tell them what you could do to make it better. And if they haven't given you papers beforehand, at least get the latest copy and study it stem to stern and critique it. Learn the area beforehand as well.

Act confident. Look me in the eye and show me you can get the job done. Sell yourself and your work and don't be embarrassed about it.

Never ever go negative on a previous boss or employer -- it will make me think you will do the same to me.

Don't ask how much the job pays unless it's offered up first in conversation, which, if they're up-front, they will (I always said how much it paid so I could weed out the uninterested from then on).

Don't make demands in the interview -- if they want you, you can ask that later.

Whatever you do, don't do what one candidate did to me once -- he interviewed for a prep job, and this guy was so overconfident that he'd get the job (because he worked in the same chain) he said he'd have to fit his work hours around his golf schedule. And believe it or not, he was shocked that he didn't get the job.

Never, ever call the guy who interviewed you for the job late at night at home and wake him and ask him how the job search is going. I had a guy call me once at 11 p.m. at home -- when I was at work -- and he woke up my wife. He was promptly eliminated.

Lastly, follow up with a thank-you note, separate ones to every person you interview with. Even if it's an e-mail one, it's better than nothing. Managers almost never get them and they remember the candidates who do them.

Good luck with the job interview. Hope these helped.

 

I know I'm getting a little nervous because I had a dream last night that I missed the interview ... kinda freaky.
Dressing, I'm not worried - when you have bad hair, a large dome and a non-scuplted body, you have to make up for it with a fabulous wardrobe. I'm not going suit, but I have a nice pant-shirt-tie combo.
It's not an SE job, it's a writer's job. I can handle the workload, but I'm more excited that the paper is an ex JRC that got bought out. In addition, there's an editor's job in state with the company at another paper, and if I can get some experience, it's a chance to move up.
Anyway, it might be time to start getting dressed ... hopefully when I log back on, I'll be a working journalist again.

 

All good advice, but I especially wanted to point out the advice on going negative on a former employer. In my hiring experience, that's the one that people violate most often. I always ask, "So why do you want to work here," and "Why are you thinking of leaving your current job?" I'm surprised how many people start slagging on their current place of employment, current co-workers, their editors etc. It's not that I don't want a reporter who is confident that he or she can do more, but someone who is spending time ripping people is likely to be an attitude problem. And I feel that way even when I know for a fact the place they're working is a hellhole.

Also, I would make sure to have questions ready for your interviewer. That's the chance to show how much you've prepared, and how well you know the place. Plus, in my experience being interviewed, I've had editors who asked few questions, so it was a chance for me to try to sell myself some more and extend the get-to-know-me time.

 

i've had about 20 interviews in the last few months. not for journalism jobs, but i think a lot of the same things apply.

my best advice is to treat it as a conversation. they want to get to know you. you want to get to know them. be yourself. relax. be honest. if you try and fool them into thinking you are something that you're not, that will eventually come out if you start working there and you'll be miserable.

also remember that as much as they're interviewing you, you're interviewing them. have intelligent, thoughtful questions about what it's like to work there. but don't set off red flags by asking questions about vacation days and how many hours you'll be expected to work. by "what it's like to work here" ask about feedback on your work, the learning curve, how you will eventually be given more responsibility, etc.

 

I'm of the mindset that you don't have to wear a suit at all. I want to see you looking nice, of course, but if it's not a suit kind of gig, no reason to be someone you aren't. I want a person I'm interviewing to feel natural and comfortable and a suit isn't going to help that.

That being said, do a little research and find out if the newsroom is a "shirt-and-tie" place for most of the employees. If it is, you're always better off looking nicer. If it's a more casual polo shirts or the like kind of place, dress nice, but comfortable (not too comfortable).

Oh, and don't ask the guy dropping you off at the hotel if he knows where you can get some weed. Pretty much going to eliminate you from most every job you interview for. (I still can't believe that actually happened.)

 

you don't have to wear a suit,.

but a sports jacket is a nice added touch.

 

You're better off looking for a thrift store in a wealthy part of town, one run by the Junior League or a hospice or a visiting nurse association. Chances are the clothes will be of better quality and odor-free. Sometimes the clothes still will have tags on them -- never worn. Sniff carefully and look for moth holes. No matter how good it is, take it directly to a drycleaner. We are talking wool, and you want to be sure there are no moth eggs on it.

I just completed a binge of thrift shopping around here and picked up a $1,400 Norman Hilton hand-made suit for 75 cents and an $800 Southwick suit for $20, both made in USA. Learn a little about brands -- for job interviews, you can't go wrong with Hickey-Freeman, Brooks Brothers and Southwick, and you shouldn't have trouble finding them.

It takes patience, but if you know what you are doing, you can get a great suit for pocket change.

National directory:

http://www.thethriftshopper.com/

I always wear a suit to a job interview. It is an indication of respect for the company.