# Interview situation not in the books **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 3, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744 "2006-12-03T22:44:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RunSilent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@RunSilent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RunSilent)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744/1 "2006-12-03T22:44:52Z")
I am going to be interviewing soon for a job in another department in my organization. I am on a first name basis with the person who will be interviewing me. We are not good friends or anything, we just know each other because we are in the same organization. At the interview, is it okay to address her by her first name? Or, do I follow what the books say, and call her MS Thompson? What about the thank you letter, do I address it ‘Dear MS Thompson,’ or ‘Dear Karen?’ ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744/2 "2006-12-03T23:14:06Z")
I think if you address her by anything but her first name that will make the interview too ultra-formal. Besides you two are already colleagues in the same organization. If you’re already on a first name basis with your interviewer, stick with that. ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744/3 "2006-12-03T23:49:04Z")
I’d only use the formal MS if the person was unknown to me. If you do use it instead of the first name you may come off as flippant or sarcastic. Besides, a little personal connection (even if a shallow one) won’t hurt your cause. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744/4 "2006-12-03T23:49:25Z")
As a person who has interviewed, and been interviewed by, colleagues in the same department, I’d use their formal name initially and allow _them_ to set a tone of less formality. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744/5 "2006-12-04T01:28:25Z")
If you are on a first name basis already, I’d use the first name. Is your company a first name kind of place? The last few I’ve been at are - the CEOs go by their first name, as does everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744/6 "2006-12-04T05:43:49Z")
It would be weird if, when you see her in the hallway you say “hi Karen,” but as soon as you get in the interview room you call her Ms. Smith. I’d call her by what you would call her if you were in any other kind of meeting. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744/7 "2006-12-04T14:41:02Z")
Easy: either a) ask them - “I know we normally use first names, but I think of interviews as more formal and I want to put my best foot forward. Is “Mr/Ms Lastname” okay?” or b) when you shake their hand, say “Hello, Mr/Ms Lastname” with a collegial tone - kinda like you are just saying hi with a bit of a twist on it. Either way, they are very likely to correct you / tell you that firstname is fine. Take it from there… ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744/8 "2006-12-04T15:51:13Z")
When I was finishing up business school, I interviewed at a former employer. The guy who interviewed me was a friend of mine who still worked there and who had been promoted since I had left about three years earlier. Anyhow, the interview was more an informal conversation than the standard Q&A sessions. We talked about what the company was like, how it compared to when I worked there, the type of role, stuff I had been doing over the years. I ended up not taking the job since it didn’t fit in with my career objectives (of collecting large paychecks). ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interview-situation-not-in-the-books/382744/9 "2006-12-04T19:25:20Z")
I can’t think of a job, or even an interview I’ve had in the past 10 years that I had to call anyone Mr. or Mrs. \. Everyone, from coworkers to bosses have been called by their first name. I’m an IT guy, so your mileage may vary.