Traveling for an Interview

Unlike travelling for fun, travelling for an interview creates some of its own challenges. Planning ahead is crucial to make certain that you have everything you need for the interview. The one benefit to travelling for an interview is generally you will probably be staying for only be a day or two. Therefore, there is no need to pack anything and pay luggage tax at the airport. What you carry on the plane is what you will have with you for your whole trip. Travel light and keep these other considerations in mind.

Know Where you are Going

This may sound like an obvious thing to do, but asking the right questions and getting a map is always helpful. Case in point, a few months ago I had an out-of-state interview located on the campus of a large school. I was supposed to meet my interviewer at the Science Center, and unfortunately there were many buildings on the campus that went by that name. Since I had already been told the address of where I needed to go, I got to the correct location in plenty of time. But highlights the fact that it is important to always have a clear understanding of where you need to go.

Pace Yourself

Give yourself plenty of time to do everything. Even if you have been to the city before, traffic, weather conditions and any other number of unforeseen circumstances can crop up. This means that it is best to allow yourself plenty of time to get a taxi, once you arrive in the city. It is also best to make plenty of time to relax and freshen up prior to the interview. After leaving the interview, try to get to the airport in plenty of time to catch your flight. As a rule, it may be best to always have out-of-state interviews in the afternoon, if at all possible. If your interview must be in the morning, then try to fly in the night before so that you have plenty of time to eat, freshen up and prepare yourself, if possible, prior to interviewing.

Be Financially Prepared

Thirdly, make certain that you have enough money. Like any other trip, interviewing trips require that you have enough money to pay for transportation, food, souvenirs, if necessary, and for leaving tips. Depending on exactly where you will be interviewing you may not want to have a good deal of money on you so having a credit card covered by fraud protection may be a good idea. Use cash only when you need to.

Dress for the Ocassion

Dress in the usual conservative attire when interviewing, however, if your trip is a one day affair, make certain that you have a change of shoes. This is especially important for women. We tend to wear high heeled shoes when having to dress for an interview, but these shoes are rarely comfortable enough to wear all day long. Bring a change of shoes like tennis shoes or walking flats so that you can walk around in comfort prior to the interview.
It is also important to dress in layers. If you are going to be in a warm city, then make certain that your suit is not too heavy. If you will be in a city with a cool climate, make certain that you bring a coat.