| Topic Name: |
Addressing interviewer at info interview |
| Message Name: |
Courtesy and protocol |
| Date Posted: |
02/12/2002 |
| In Reply To: |
Anyone have ideas on how to address someone who is giving you an informational interview? I've been using alumni contacts and I always address them by Mr/Ms. this is proving to be quite awkward for me as most of these people are only 10-15 years older than me... I only stop addressing them by their last names if they tell me outright not to. Even if they sign their first names in their emails to me. I still address them by their last names when the face-to-face meeting takes place. Do you think I'm doing the right thing? I'm afraid that my being overly formal with them won't allow me to build rapport, but at the same time, informality might not work either (these are senior advertising execs) ANY IDEAS? |
| Message: |
Regardless of the age difference, err on the side of courtesy and protocol. In today's world of near immediate intimacy implied by first name usage, you're taking your chances when you do so in an interview.
Acknowledge the other person's position and their investment of time in meeting with you by addressing them correctly, however formally. You'll know immediately if you're overly formal when the other party offers you call them by their first name. This will most likely be the case except for rare instances when the formality is a set policy or an expected and standing tradition. Of course, if you're feeling bold, you can ask if you can address them by their first name.
Then again, if your interviewer has orange hair, wears tattered shorts, and addresses you as "Dude!", you're probably safe to call them by their first name.
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