How to Find Out Female Interviewer's Marital Status Forum

[Anonymous User]

Being from the South and raised in a more traditional household, I was always taught to refer to people in authoritative positions as Mr/Ms [last name] until invited to address them otherwise. But this seems to be a cultural and regional thing, as colleagues from California/New York (and let's be honest, most students in top universities are from the greater New York region or California) are much more informal (some down south might use the term "rude"). Firms seem to track that in my experience, with (especially older) partners at more traditional southern firms presuming formality and partners at firms in New York/Chicago/California presuming informality.

The worst that could happen by being overly formal is being invited to be more informal in your communications. The worst that can happen by being informal is turning off someone that you need on your side in the hiring process. You'll probably be fine addressing interviewers by their first name, but why take a chance?

tl;dr: go with Ms. [last name] until invited otherwise because it's safe and respectful

I strongly disagree. The default should be the opposite.

Unless OP is interviewing for a position in the south (which I know less about), pretty much every person they interview with will expect to be referred to using their first name, whether due to their upbringing or by adjusting to modern day business practices in whatever major (non-southern) city they practice in.

On the other hand, calling someone Ms. Lastname when they expect an email with their first name risks coming off as extremely immature. Especially if OP is a KJD, this could be a very bad look.

[jsnow212]

Being from the South and raised in a more traditional household, I was always taught to refer to people in authoritative positions as Mr/Ms [last name] until invited to address them otherwise. But this seems to be a cultural and regional thing, as colleagues from California/New York (and let's be honest, most students in top universities are from the greater New York region or California) are much more informal (some down south might use the term "rude"). Firms seem to track that in my experience, with (especially older) partners at more traditional southern firms presuming formality and partners at firms in New York/Chicago/California presuming informality.

The worst that could happen by being overly formal is being invited to be more informal in your communications. The worst that can happen by being informal is turning off someone that you need on your side in the hiring process. You'll probably be fine addressing interviewers by their first name, but why take a chance?

tl;dr: go with Ms. [last name] until invited otherwise because it's safe and respectful

No it isn't.

You look like someone who is completely unaware of social norms in most large markets if you don't call someone by their first name.

[Anonymous User]

I'm at a firm HQ in the south and nobody, absolutely nobody calls anyone by honorifics. It's all first name basis. Whenever a student calls me Mr. I give them slack for not knowing how things work but they are definitely wrong.

[Anonymous User]

I'm at a firm HQ in the south and nobody, absolutely nobody calls anyone by honorifics. It's all first name basis. Whenever a student calls me Mr. I give them slack for not knowing how things work but they are definitely wrong.

Nothing says "this is my first job and I'm not an adult" quite like calling a colleague Mr./Ms.