Be Prepared for Interview Emergencies
Just like in the military, having a backup plan is critical to job interview success during seasons of inclement weather.
by Rita Gworek

We are entering the winter season,  which in many parts of the country means ice and snow. This calls for a little extra strategy for the interview. You will not make a good impression by arriving late - there are absolutely no excuses for being late. Here are some tips to help you keep your appointment: 

• Check the weather report the night before your interview. You need to plan on spending extra time getting to the interview.
• Set out your clothing the night before the interview. This will save time if you discover that your shirt or blouse needs ironed.
  
• Your shoes need to be polished and edge-dressed. Everything about your clothing must be neat and clean.
• Look for your umbrella, top coat or rain coat, gloves, scarf, hat, and waterproof shoes or boots if needed. You will need these things to protect your clothing.
• If snow is predicted, it would be a good idea to find out in advance what the company’s policy is for inclement weather. Some companies may close and others offer liberal leave. It may be more difficult to find parking after and during a snow storm. If it snows and the interview is still going to take place you will need that extra time to clean off your car if you park outdoors.
  
• Your car’s battery can sometimes go dead in very cold conditions. Have a contingency plan if this should happen. If you need to call a cab, it will take you longer to get to the interview. Always call the interviewer to let them know your status. It may be that most of the employees will be late including the interviewer. Having been prepared will show that you planned ahead and take the interview seriously.
• After you arrive your top coat or rain coat and umbrella and anything else you wore to protect yourself should be left out in the lobby area. Do not bring them into the interviewing room. That might give the impression that you are in a hurry to leave. And you wouldn’t want to bring those things into someone’s office dripping wet anyway.
  

Prepare an Interview Emergency Kit

It’s also a good idea to set up an emergency kit for inclement weather. You do not want to arrive at the interview looking like a drowned rat. Even if the weather is not a factor in your appearance, you should still have an emergency kit ready. This should include:

• A small shoe shine and repair kit. It is so easy to scuff your shoes walking up or down stairs.
  
• A sewing kit. A button could pop off at any time.
• A few safety pins, and some mending tape. If you are not sure what mending tape is, it is like two-sided tape. It works great in holding up hems that have come down or sleeves that are too long. The sleeve can be folded under and mending tape or two-sided tape used as a temporary fix.
• A toothbrush and toothpaste, along with breath mints and deodorant.
• A cleaning packet like Shout wipes. If you are nervous you just might spill your coffee on yourself. These really do the trick in getting stains out fast. Add an extra tie just in case the stain doesn’t come out because ties are made out of silk and the dye in the tie comes out when you try to clean it. So the tie is useless now, it is best to just throw it away.
• Black shoe laces. Shoe laces have a tendency to break when you least expect it, so add a black pair to cover yourself.
  

The boy scout motto of “Always be Prepared” applies to the interview, too.