Ensuring Personal Safety When Attending an Interview

By Rebecca Graffam, Peer Advisor 

Most people do not think about safety issues in relation to job interviews, however, sometimes negative things happen that can be avoided with additional safety precautions.  Although this is not a major issue for most interviews, as a student living in the large city of Miami, I have found it is important to be hyper-vigilant and always trust my instincts. 

Therefore, I have compiled a list of precautions an interviewee can take in order to avoid a difficult or dangerous situation.

1.  Location

Find out where the interview will be held ahead of time.  You should avoid having interviews in a remote place unless you know the person well or can be with a group.  You can request that the interview take place in a public or official setting.  Additionally, there should be friends and/or family members that know where you will be going and for approximately how long.   

2.  Timing

Make sure the timing of your interview is not out of place for the job.  It is probably not a good idea to attend an interview at 9 PM for a receptionist daytime position.  If you do happen to be in a situation that you have to attend a nighttime interview, make sure to bring along a friend.  They could wait in the car or the lobby but make sure there is someone else there to help ensure safety.  

3.  Website

Take time to visit the firm’s website prior to the interview.  Though you may have done this in your interview preparation research, it is important to become familiar with the trustworthiness of the company and make sure nothing is out of place.  You can generally tell a sketchy website from an official one and this simple step can help save you from a compromising situation.

4.  Formality

An interview has the potential to be fun and comfortable, but not to the point at which you feel it is too informal or creepy.  If the interviewer starts asking inappropriate suggestions or suggests anything contrary to what you feel is suitable, inform the interviewer that you are leaving and go as quickly as possible.  Let the firm know of the incident as soon as you are in a safe place.

Stay safe University of Miami!