Deborah Meyer ⋅ Columbus, OH Anthem, Inc. ⋅ 35 years experience

Edward: William gave you some great ideas/plans. I would also like to mention that many companies use Behavioral Interview Technique questions. Describe a time when..., tell me a time when... - essentially they are looking for real life examples of when you encountered a situation and what/how you handled it. I think the hardest part of these interviews for veterans is the transition to: I did... vs. our unit, our team handled... It's important to show you are a team player, but be ready to define your part in creating strategies, solutions and leading others! Good Luck!
Deborah

Maureen Crawford Hentz ⋅ Groveland, MA A.W. Chesterton ⋅ 20 years experience

It seems as if the what to wear question is all set, so I thought I would focus on another topic: as you walk around the site, make sure that you are making observations and asking questions. This shows that you are engaged and can bring value to the company. Observations like: It seems as if the (hoist operators) take (insert safety code/reg here) fairly seriously. How did you create that culture are good observation/question combinations. You might also want to emphasize any experience you have with multiple languages/ multiple cultures that would be applicable to discussing safety issues with a wider variety of employees than someone who is mono-lingual. Finally, talk about your own experiences and teachable moments that impacted you regarding safety and getting employees (peers) to internalize responsibility for safety. Good luck!

Doug Hill ⋅ Kearneysville, WV PC Construction ⋅ 20 years experience

Edward,

I have been a Safety Manager for over 30 years. If you still need assistance, I am more than glad to offer some insight into impressing the interviewer.

Scott Cotton ⋅ Casper, WY University of Wyoming ⋅ 24 years experience

Edward, It always helps to review the risks, OSHA code and state codes that affect the company you are looking at for familiarity. But don't pretend you know everything, just hint that you have some awareness and then listen aggressively during the interview. Try to ask focused questions that are insightful. Good safety managers are always looking for the cause of risk and a method to prevent it. Learn the concepts of risk management, prevention, and mitigation. You should do well. Regards, Scott.

Maria Erchul ⋅ Spokane, WA Incyte Diagnostics ⋅ 15 years experience

So it is now after the interview - and we all hoped for the best. If not - maintain a positive attitude about the experience, the interviewers you met and the the company - as it can later be a network opportunity. Also - rate yourself - where could you have improved or been more prepared. Keeping these notes will help you for the next interview.
The best to you!

Heather Gillbanks ⋅ Houston, TX General Electric ⋅ 26 years experience

If you are at all uncertain, I recommend:
1) go "camp" at the reception area for the company and see how other people are dressed ... then go 1 notch up from that for the interview
2) for Manager position, you should probably go at least shirt & tie, if not also a blazer/ jacket, if you can't achieve #1 for some reason

William Roth ⋅ West Chester, OH Procter & Gamble ⋅ 25 years experience

Edward,

Do your homework and look up the company. Find where they have major work and see if you can find any information on safety regulations where they operate. Read up on it and talk their talk. Try and connect those regulations with what we did onboard ships. Talk about regulatory reports, safety briefs on critical evolutions, and about leading training. See if you can find any recent OSHA violations they have had. I would not bring them up, but if they talk about them be knowledgable about what would get you fined in that situation.

As far as clothes, there is a balance between looking the part and looking professional. I would normally recommend a shirt and tie minimum, but if others in that field feel more casual is better, I will defer to their knowledge. I have always defaulted to overdressing and mentioning you wore a suit as a sign of respect to the interviewer, but you understood that it was a casual work environment. Another option is to call them and ask what they would prefer.

Best wishes,
William

Liz Campanelli ⋅ East Brunswick, NJ Johnson & Johnson ⋅ 25 years experience

Hi Edward!
Many thanks for your service and Happy 4th of July! Your service makes me grateful for a day like today!
My guess is your wardrobe is appropriate as it is a manager's role. If temperatures are high, wear a short sleeve shirt to remain cooler! I imagine you have a resume in place and have already applied. If not, bring resume with you even if it's a discussion around your experience in the Navy. If you don't have a resume, you are welcome to reach out to me and I can help with getting it in order. Be prepared to talk about your construction experience as well as managing a crew and your expertise around Safety. Hope this helps! Good luck and be safe!

Liz Campanelli
Lizcampanelli55@gmail.com