When preparing for an interview, people usually concentrate on the tough question they might be asked and the responses they will give. Before you get the opportunity to answer the questions, all the eyes will be on you. Everyone in the interview panel will be evaluating if you fit the job.
You only get one chance to make the first impression when starting a new work. The first impression is crucial since it will turn into a lasting perception. Ensure that you show your co-workers and employer how valuable your role will be on the first day.
Check out these tips to make the best possible impression at the job interview.
- Arrive on time
Usually, you should arrive about 15 minutes before an interview. Being late causes one look inattentive to details and unreliable. Coming too early makes you appear stalker-like and over-eager.
You can show promptness without people seeing you as an idler waiting around for a potential employer. If you want to know the right timing, you can visit the venue where the interview will take place, and you will be able to know the travel time before the day of the interview.
Instead of arriving too early and start waiting, you can do something great with the time. If you want to manage your time, visit 5 Ways to Budget Your Time to Ensure Long-Term Success.
- Dress appropriately
You should dress in a professional attire as if you want to make an important presentation, having lunch with the CEO or meeting a key client.
Ensure that you don’t wear tight, too baggy or too revealing clothes. When you are not sure if the attire is appropriate, never ask your friend for confirmation. You can just pick another outfit. Avoid aftershave lotion, perfume, and too much jewelry.
It can be tricky to pick an exact clothing since dress codes vary. However, most office settings recommend suits. Others suggested an outfit depending on a targeted position. Therefore, do some research to know what you need to wear.
- Be kind always
You should be kind to everyone that you come across. You want to make a good impression on everyone you meet because the people you meet might share how they feel about you and it might change the hiring committees’ minds.
Be kind to every person you meet including security officers, executive assistants, parking lot attendants, receptionists, hiring managers, potential co-workers and members of human resources.
- Put the phone away
People tend to pull out their phone when they are waiting: during commercials, grocery store, etc.
But when waiting in the lobby, avoid pulling out your phone. Instead, you can go over your resume and think how to make the interview successful. I am saying that you go over your resume because it is crucial to have a good resume.
Then when the interviewer appears, you won’t be caught unaware.
- Make everything organized, accessible and neat
After few minutes of the interview, you might be asked for a copy of your resume. But if you take more time digging through past phone chargers, old receipts, and candy wrappers, then it will send a message that you are unorganized.
To make a good impression, organize everything that you need and make them readily accessible. You need to organize them such that you can quickly pull out your reference, resume and a pen on command.
Not only do you need to be neat on organizing your resume and items that you carry, but also everything that your employer might check such as your website, social media and other accessible items. You won’t want your employer to see how disorganized you are on your website, especially if the website is for marketing. For more on how to have a neat website, visit: Which site is best for your business?
- Give a firm handshake
Ensure that the shaking of hands involves a firm grip. It demonstrates confidence.
You can extend your hand and greet hiring managers, potential colleagues, human resource representatives, and senior-level managers. When you are not standing, make sure that you stand when someone enters the room before shaking hands.
- Find a connection
When you are past the initial introduction, try to make a connection with your interview to solidify your good impression. It can be something small.
You can start to the connection if the degree hanging on his/her office or an award on a bookshelf impresses you.
You can find anything you can talk about. It doesn’t have to be a significant connection, but starting with a chat before talking business will make both of you feel at ease.
- Be confident when entering a room
The entrance could bring a negative or positive impression. You should keep your head up, smile, acknowledge those in the reception area or room and say hello.
Your body language can show your confidence. If you want to learn more on how to use body language to show confidence, read: This Is How You Can Show Confidence Using Your Body Language.
- Act interested
Show some interest in the job, even when you are not sure if the job is perfect for your talents.
Showing that you are interested helps in engaging the interviewers. You can get to know about the organization, and you will know if you should continue to pursue the position.
- Never start a conversation with reckless comments
Most interviewees won’t intentionally insult or be insensitive, but sometimes you might say something that will hurt your chances of getting the job. Avoid starting conversations with off-color slang or comments about politics, personal appearance, controversial topics or religion.
Get prepared with opening remarks and be kind even if someone makes unkind comments to you.
- Be ready to Talk about yourself and the company
You should be prepared for a conversation about the company, your questions, and responses to popular interview questions.
Avoid showing that you know everything. It will make you look arrogant. What you need to read about are the organization’s site and related news. It will help you talk intelligently about the organization.
Get the right answers to common questions and organize stories on your latest accomplishments, especially those that show why you are a great fit for the job. Also, arrange your questions should your interview ask if there are any questions.
Sometimes you might have prepared well, and things start to go wrong. You don’t need to be afraid. There is a way to deal with the situation when interview seems to go wrong. Read this How to Handle an Interview Gone Wrong.
- Get the interviewer’s name right
Getting the name of the interviewer right might impress him/her. This works mostly when you meet someone with a difficult name.
Research the titles and names of those you will meet for your first time. You can ask for this information from the human resource or go through their LinkedIn profiles. You should memorize their name before meeting to avoid asking them to repeat their names during the meeting.
You might need more than just these tips to get a job, but they increase your chances of getting the job. When you start an interview with a good impression, you can face tough questions with courage.
Written by: Irina Kashevskaya, I am a certified specialist at the Designdroide. For over two years I have specialized in design issues in various fields (interior design, web design, graphic design).
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