Become a Greek – Step Three
Step three: interviewing.
In the last issue, Issue #21, we discussed the recruiting and application process of Becoming Greek. So once you submit your application, guess what must come after? You guessed it; the Interview! This is the quintessential step that allows you to show your new potential Greek home what qualifies you status within their organization and what you can offer them.
When it comes to interviewing, treat it as if it were a job. The first thing is to have a look. Every organization has a certain look and image that they uphold. Your first impression to your interview may be your last. So be mindful of what you wear. It is ok to wear jeans and a shirt or a blazer or something fashion forward. For females, short shorts are a big no-no and are frowned upon as a potential candidate. Make yourself visually appealing to the eye. They should be able to look at you and see what kind of person you are by the style or choice of clothes you wore to your interview.
Next it is time to set yourself up for success, the time for your interview. At least five to ten minutes prior to your interview, follow the room location and start to load in. If you are in the incorrect room, they will tell you. However, by you showing up early shows that you are eager and ready to start your process. Do not be late. Punctuality is big within the Greek society. Make sure you are on time.
“To be early is to be on time. It takes courage to excel and to excel we must be on time.”
So if you want to excel, be on time. Alongside being on time, be prepared. Step 1 was to research. Now that you are about to be interviewed, prior to doing so you should have revisited your research on the organization and reviewed your notes. The more you know the more impressed they will be.
The object of the interviewing game is quite simple: you should want to leave your interview knowing you did your best and your interviewer speechless, in a good way of course. A speechless interviewer can mean two things: you either (1) excelled and surpassed their expectations and knocked their socks off, or (2) you completely embarrassed yourself and wasted their time and yours. Go above and beyond. Take your time answering the questions. Be invigorating and inquisitive and personable. At the end of the day, they do have to like you.
After you have completed the interview, they will give you a time frame of when you should be hearing from them. If it has exceeded such time frame, send a message to follow up on your status. For example, if the interviewer told you that within 72 hours you should receive a message from them, when you have reached 96 hours and haven’t received a message or any type of notice, just simply do a follow-up message to check on the status of your application and interview. When in doubt, follow up. Do not automatically assume that you didn’t make it because you didn’t hear anything. Just make sure you remain proactive because you are going to need it when it comes to the pledging process.
