Alicia Pepito- Hatch’s Front Desk Supervisor
It’s your interview day and at this point you know who you are meeting with and the person that holds your potential future career in their hands. So far, you have arrived 10-15 minutes early for your interview to impress your potential employer, just to sit and wait anxiously for them to greet you. During this time, you might take a glance around their office to decide if you like it or run through your answers in your head. All the while, what you maybe haven’t realized, is the first part of your interview has already begun.
- Interviewees often believe the individuals with whom they are interviewing, are the ones needed to be won over and possibly never think twice about the other team members they interact with, such as the receptionist. That’s right, even them!
- The person at the front desk holds a lot of power, more than you may even realize. Such as the company’s first impression of you. From the start, they are gauging your initiative, your interpersonal skills and most importantly your attitude! If your first interaction with their company starts off poorly, your interviewer will hear about it. The entire company is a team after all.
So, next time you head into an interview and check in with the receptionist at the front desk, engage with them! The best part is most of the time they aren’t even expecting it, so why not make their day by chatting with them. Have something to set you apart from the rest of the candidates they are interviewing by asking them about the company and what made them want to be part of it. You’d be surprised whose opinions are taken into consideration for the culture of their company and relaying their experience with the hiring managers, could just be your ticket in.
