Job interview etiquette among office workers in the USA

Nearly graduation but many students do not know how to prepare for a job interview. Therefore, the writer wrote this paper to help them know the rules to prepare for a professional interview and make a strong impression on the employer. At the same time, the writer also would like to help them be more confident when applying for their favourite jobs in the future. Moreover, the writer also appreciated the job interview etiquette in America, so the writer decided to select as the topic “Job interview etiquette among office workers in the United States”.

JOB INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE AMONG OFFICE WORKERS

IN THE UNITED STATES

ASSESSMENT

Score Examiner’s Signature 1 Examiner’s Signature 2

In figures In words

Criteria for assessment:

- Topic (10 pts):

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- Organization (25 pts)

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- Quality of Information and Interest Level (25 pts):

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- Grammar, Usage, Mechanics, Spelling (25 pts):

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- Resources (15 pts):

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Total: ………

Table of Contents CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 3

1.1 Background 3

1.2 Reasons to choose the topic 3

CHAPTER II: BODY 4

2.1 Definitions & Characteristics of the components 4

2.1.1 Definitions & characteristics of office workers 4

2.1.2 Definitions & characteristics of the United States 4

2.1.3 Definitions & characteristics of job interview 5

2.2 Related issues and explanation about these in relation to the culture, field, and participants 5

2.2.1 Preparing for the interview 5

2.2.2 Conducting the interview 10

2.2.3 Closing the interview 13

2.3 The implication of these matters on the writer’s own etiquette & good manners and future 15

CHAPTER III: CONCLUSION 16

REFERENCES 17

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

People often say: “Attitude is more important than qualifications” For the writer, this statement is not really true because both of these factors are important and they also need

to combine with each other If a person has a high level of education but he/she has a bad attitude to life and work, it is challenging to develop relationships On the contrary, a person with a very good attitude, always helping people, working hard at the assigned work but with weak skills, it is hard to develop himself/herself, and advance in work Therefore, the writer did not endorse the statement which was mentioned above From the writer’s perspective, an employee should equip and develop both factors It is the same for a job interview Candidates first need to have high qualifications and professional knowledge for the job they are applying for Besides, they should also equip themselves with a positive attitude to prepare for a career interview with their employer

In English Etiquette & Good Manners, students in the English Language at Thu Dau Mot University were equipped with basic knowledge of rules to prepare for a future job interview Simultaneously, it also helps students become more confident in communicating and behaving in an office environment It is also a piece of luggage for students to enter life The writer also felt very interested and deeply impressed with the career interview etiquette in the US Therefore, the writer wrote this report in hopes of helping fellow students better understand tips for preparing for a professional career interview here At the same time, the paper also provides some tips for the things the interviewers need to do to have a good interview

1.2 Reasons to choose the topic

Nearly graduation but many students do not know how to prepare for a job interview Therefore, the writer wrote this paper to help them know the rules to prepare for a professional interview and make a strong impression on the employer At the same time, the writer also would like to help them be more confident when applying for their favourite jobs in the future Moreover, the writer also appreciated the job interview etiquette in America, so the writer decided to select as the topic “Job interview etiquette among office workers in the United States”

CHAPTER II: BODY

2.1 Definitions & Characteristics of the components

2.1.1 Definitions & characteristics of office workers

According to Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, an office worker is a person who works in the offices of a business or company

In the US, office workers have many characteristics such as reliability, problem-solving skills, teamwork, communication skills, conflict resolution, and willingness to learn and ask questions

2.1.2 Definitions & characteristics of the United States

According to Nations Online, the United States, abbreviated U.S or U.S.A, by name America, is a nation of 50 states, covering the central part of North America The country

is separated into six regions consisting of New England, the mid-Atlantic, the South, the Midwest, the Southwest, and the West The capital city of this nation is Washington, D.C The United States is the world's 3rd-largest country in size and nearly the 3rd-largest in terms of population

Map created by National Online Project

The United States’ main characteristic is certainly its enormous variety Gopnik (2022) confirms that its physical environment ranges from the Arctic to the subtropical, from the wet rain forest to the arid desert, from the rugged mountain top to the flat prairie Despite having a large overall population by global standards, the United States has a relatively low population density The nation includes some of the largest urban regions in the world as well as some of the largest ones that are nearly entirely devoid of human habitation

2.1.3 Definitions & characteristics of job interview

According to the Collins dictionary, a job interview is a formal meeting at which someone is asked questions in order to find out if they are suitable for a post of employment

Job interviews in the US have their own unique characteristics that distinguish them from other types of communication such as goal-driven, question–answer, structured, controlled, and unbalanced

2.2 Related issues and explanation about these in relation to the culture, field, and participants

2.2.1 Preparing for the interview

2.2.1.1 Interviewee responsibilities

There is one important thing that a candidate needs to do before attending an interview for a job is to prepare carefully They can research the company, prepare questions, practice more, prepare professional personal appearance, arrive on time, bring materials, and turn off the phone

Research the company

To learn more about a company’s services and culture, it is so crucial to check out its website and social media channels Your responses should be thoroughly prepared because they could be your ticket to getting the job There are a lot of ways to get more

information about the company First of all, find out everything you can about the company, including its many “arms”, locations, future ambitions, financial situation, mission statement, and ethos Look at its website, download any new reports, and read any publicity or marketing materials you come across Secondly, read any outside reports from Nexis (an online news service) to show the depth of your understanding of them Thirdly, get informed about any news issues that may be relevant to the organization’s operations Fourthly, try to glean information on management practices, working conditions, and other factors by reading between the lines Speak to them if you know someone who works there Finally, find out everything you can about the job role

Prepare questions

To have a good interview, you should prepare some interview questions:

• Tell us about yourself

• Why do you want to work for our company?

• What can you offer us?

• Where do you see yourself in five years?

• What are your greatest weaknesses and strengths?

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Consider the types of interview questions you can anticipate and try to complete answers

to each question Practice speaking out loud in front of a mirror, into a tape recorder, or with your family/ friend In addition, you can try accessing the InterviewStream® resource on Wildcat CareerLink With the guidance of this resource, you can pick from more than 7,000 interview questions that you predict being asked and record your responses It is so funny and easy!

Prepare a professional personal appearance

It is critical to dress appropriately for interviews because your appearance and the clothes you are wearing will be considered by the interviewer as their initial impression Making

a good first impression begins with having a tidy and professional appearance Although most Americans enjoy going to the grocery store in their jammies, it is crucial to look

you best for job interviews This means wearing dress shoes, blouses (for women), button-up long-sleeved shirts (for men), and a tie Generally speaking, keep it somewhere between a formal business dinner and a workday

Formal Interview Outfits

Arrive on time

In the USA, “Time is money” is a

certifiably well-known proverb that

Americans again and again use This means

numerous Americans like to use their time

“efficiently” Besides, Americans are very

concerned about punctuality If we come

late at work and appointments, we are

perceived as rude Therefore, you should

be on time To avoid accidental something, you need to arrive at least 10–15 minutes early

Bring materials

Before you go to bed, put your car keys, house keys, charged phone, pen, professional notepad, interviewer’s contact info, extra resume, reference pages, and portfolio (with questions for your interviewer) together into your bag If you are a lady, you should carry the smallest wallet that you can bring with you, and even consider locking it in your trunk The fewer items you take in, the fewer you have to deal with during the interview or possibly forget when you leave

Turn the phone off

Remember to turn off your mobile phone

or keep it silent before entering the interview room because this show that you really appreciate this interview If you forget, please quickly apologize to the interviewer and turn it off immediately

Do not answer the call or text By doing this, you will reveal to the interviewer that your focus is entirely on them and the interviewing process

2.2.1.2 Interviewer responsibilities

“I am an interviewer and I do not need to have any preparation for that interview I just

go to that place and ask my candidates something I love.” If you have any thoughts like this in your mind, please stop Remember that you are also impressing your interviewee with your business Thus, you need to show your professionalism by reviewing the application material, preparing questions and an interview outline, gathering materials, and beginning on time

Review the application material

Photographed by Adrian Granzella Larssen

Before starting an interview, make sure you have carefully reviewed each resume Having a candidate’s resume available during an interview is obviously a good idea for reference, but now is not the time to ask about their previous experiences Acknowledge their resume so that you can use the time to ask the appropriate questions

Prepare questions and an interview outline

An interviewer should prepare some questions to ask to rely on the interview outline The majority of organizations have a standard set of questions to ask all applicants, followed

by inquiries unique to each position You can compare candidates more directly to one another by asking all contenders the same fundamental questions Use a variety of question styles to ensure you get responses that inform your decision-making such as closed-ended, open-ended, hypothetical, and behavioural questions

Gather materials

One more thing an interviewer should do is put the necessary application materials, interview outline, and writing materials for notes with each other before the interviewee

comes If you put them messy, it not only wastes time to look for but also shows your unprofessionalism in the workplace

Begin on time

Photographed by Katharine Hansen

The interviewer should make an effort to start the interview on schedule rather than add

to the delay Moreover, you should make sure that you have enough of a gap in your schedule before and after each interview You would like to be in the right space to give your full attention to the interview, and you also do not want to risk being late

2.2.2 Conducting the interview

2.2.2.1 Tips for Interviewee

An interviewee should keep in your mind that you are selling yourself to the interviewer According to Scupi (2018), “Selling yourself” is the process of talking openly, clearly, and straightforwardly about your strengths and explicitly stating how you can help the company In the USA, discussing your education and professional experience during the interview is expected, but you are not required to discuss how you may benefit the organization In addition, you must go the extra mile and make the interviewer see the connections

In addition, you should pay attention and listen carefully to the interviewer Besides, avoid gazing out the window or letting your mind wander to make sure you answer the question your interviewer is asking

A successful interview should leave you with the impression that you clearly related your skills, accomplishments, and objectives to the needs of the company This not only demonstrated how you could benefit the business but also displayed your personality Your voice during the interview should have been generally positive and enthusiastic

Photographed by Burger

2.2.2.2 Tips for Interviewer

With the role of an interviewer, start the interview by introducing everyone to each other Make the candidate comfortable by revealing who you are, what your role is, and a little about your business Describe the format of the interview procedure as well Having a plan can help your business look good and will keep the interviewee at ease

Ask your pre-written questions Start the question sections with personal questions to offer applicants a chance to introduce themselves and clarify how they will contribute to the position It may be necessary to push the interview so that you have enough time to ask all of your questions, even though you want to let the candidate respond freely and naturally You can politely suggest moving on if a candidate takes much time answering one question

Listen actively and intentionally A conversation should flow reasonably naturally, but an interview is not like a normal back-and-forth conversation You must listen carefully during the interview The 80/20 rule- 80% listening, 20% talking-

is a reasonable standard for the interviewer

to aim for Actively listen to the traits and skills you previously recognized as essential for the position Additionally, pay attention to potential; you can realize underlying characteristics or motives that were not visible from their resume

It will be crucial to take notes if you are

interviewing a large number of

candidates If you want the candidates to

know they got your entire attention,

consider taking notes by hand rather than

on your laptop during the interview

Alternatively, if you can, consider

having someone in the room just to take notes Keep track of your notes in the candidate’s application as the majority of HR applicant tracking systems have a section for comments after an interview