Co-op Interview

Dress nicely but not TOO nicely, and act a bit timid and don't say much. Don't volunteer information. Just smile and keep your mouth shut as opposed to chatting up a storm, and you'll do just fine. Definitely don't say that you're eager to get into the building to start making improvements . . . .
In short, play your cards close to your chest.

New York magazine had an article on this recently. You may want to do a search there.

I think this may be the article to which tenemental is referring:

http://nymag.com/realestate/realestatecolumn/41526/

I am one of the agents who was quoted in the New York mag article. I always say dress formally -- what I tell my clients is "respectful and soberly, as if you are going to a funeral."

That means a business suit or a nice dress, nothing too flashy, and not too much jewelry or perfume for the ladies. I feel very, very strongly about the clothing point -- I remember trying to murder a Corcoran agent who told the buyer of a co-op I was selling that he didn't have to wear a tie to the board interview.

Of course you have to wear a tie, even if the board members don't. Don't smoke.

Once you're there, smile, but you really do want to say very little -- it's not a job interview, and you're not selling yourself the way you would to a new boss. You're just there to answer the board's questions, which will probably include "so what do you do for a living?" (if you have a 21st century Internet job, practice explaining it to people who don't know what SEO is) and "why do you want to live in this building?" You may be asked where you have lived before, and how you liked it. Don't slam prior landlords or roommates.

If you are a marginal financial candidate you may be asked things like "what would you do if you lost your job?" or "do you think you'll get caught up in the Wall Street layoffs?" Again, you want to answer in a measured way -- be calmly confident about your skills and your future earning power, but don't come off like you're auditioning for The Apprentice.

If I am making the interview sound terrifying, it's not -- it's just that we live in a world where no one knows how to be formal and reserved anymore.

You can get more tips if you go to my website, www.frontporchllc.com, and search "co-op" in the right-hand search box.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

Thanks, joepa. That's the one.

Thanks everyone.