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Interviews Dos and Don'ts
DO: Send a thank you letter within 24-48 hours of an interview. If you decide to e-mail the letter, keep in mind it should still follow traditional letter format, using a formal salutation and formal language throughout. E-mail tends to make correspondence less formal, but throughout the interviewing process, it is important to keep your interactions formal.
DO: If you are faced with a dining situation in an interview make sure to keep the conversation topics general, not controversial. Good topics to discuss are local events and sports.
DON’T: Topics to avoid are politics, religion, and health (your own or someone else’s).
DO: It is always best to wear traditional interview attire (dark business suit) unless the company specifically states that the interview will be business casual. Even if a firm has a company policy promoting business casual, it is always better to be over dressed than underdressed.
DON’T: It is best not to discuss salary or benefits until the employer broaches the subject, or until you are at the point of offer. Bringing up the salary/benefit issue early in the process can create the impression that you are more interested in the money than the actual position.
DO: Do your homework! Find out as much about the company as possible—policies, culture, clients. Your knowledge of a company will help you ask relevant and insightful questions. The Career Library at the Ford Career Center is just one source to find in-depth company information. Other sources include Hoover’s Online and CNN Financial News.
For information on specific programs at the McCombs School, consult our contacts page. For media information, contact the Communications Director by phone at 512-471-3314 or by email at CommunicationsDirector@mccombs.utexas.edu.
