Interview - First Impression

by Stephanie Blye

Even if we do not realize, we all make a first impression about the persons we meet for the first time in various circumstances, usually in the first 30 seconds. This first impression offers us feelings of sympathy or antipathy for the respective person, whether she likes it or not. Thoughts like "she's just like me", "she's just like Sean", "oh, she's so different from me" are generated every time and may influence our future opinion and reactions towards that person.In the same way, the interviewer makes a first impression on the candidates seeking for a job in his company.

If you're a job seeker and you have the opportunity of attending an interview, here are some valuable pieces of advice you might want to use:

1. You make the first impression!

The first impression comes from the way you react and communicate with the world around you. Usually, you communicate in three ways: verbally (through the words you use), para verbally (the pitch of your voice, volume, strength and tempo) and non-verbally (through your gestures, face mimics, the way you dress etc.). Among these, the non-verbal communication has almost 80% importance in an interview.

2. Elegance is the key!

Enter the interview room having a positive attitude, don't stumble and don't blow in just like that. Shake the interviewers' hands, look then into the eyes and pronounce their names. When you have to sit on a chair, sit with your back straight, look attentively and show you're interested in what they have to say. Try not to make too many gestures because they are the ones which may give you away if you're stressed or if you're an emotional person. Careful what you do with your hands! Try not to play with crayons, with your ears or hairs.

3. Eye contact is critical!

This is a rule: you should try to keep eye contact with your interviewer(s) for as long as possible. It is very difficult to be evaluated if you don't look them in their eyes. It may created a little discomfort, but you can only tell a person is determined if he has the courage of maintaining eye contact for as long as possible. Also, remember to look at each of them. Most of the times, the interviewer saying nothing during the interview is the person who actually makes the decision!

4. Don't forget to smile!

Even if you're stressed, don't forget to smile in order to show them who you are! But don't exaggerate, you'll tend to look stupid. When you leave the room, leave in the same positive way you have entered it. Avoid bending or crawling your feet towards the door. Also, you should have the same strong shake hand from the beginning, accompanied by a smile and a determined "Thank you!"