Get Hired: Positive First Impressions

As an employment professional I speak daily with individuals who are having difficulty landing jobs even though they have the skills to do the jobs they interview for. One aspect that I notice in many of my clients is that they do not portray themselves in a positive way. An interviewer may form either a positive or negative first impression of any job seeker in a matter of seconds and I feel that it is in the best interest of all job seekers to consider how they will create the best first impression possible. 

First Impressions: In acquiring employment job seekers go through an application process that will hopefully lead to an interview. In the application process the job seeker may be networking with contacts within the prosepective company, providing resumes and applications to the appropriate staff, and following up over the phone, internet, or in person. As far as I am concerned, if anyone in this company has seen or heard you, the interview has already begun! For example, I used to be a shift manager in a popular Austin Restaurant where job seekers would drop off their applications on a daily basis. On more than one occasion individuals who were not wearing shoes turned in applications! Suffice to say these applications went straight into the trash. Even though I was'nt the official interviewer, I still determined these shoeless individuals were not appropriate for my restaurant. I don't want to make anyone paranoid, but if you are setting foot on the premises of the company, someone there has noticed you. I have heard stories of employers using security cameras to watch prospective employees screech into a parking space, flick a cigarette butt into the parking lot and yell at someone on their cell phone as they approach the office. Anytime we are seen or heard we will be judged by the way we present ourselves.

Presentation: People will notice our appearance and body language and will often form a first impression of us even before we speak.

Appearance: Your appearance should be both guided by the rules of good hygene as well as the dress code of the position you seek. I recommend that all applicants visit the business before they formally apply and see what the standard of dress is for the position sought. One should dress like like an employee, but nicer. If I was applying for a forklift driver position at a warehouse where everyone wears t-shirts and jeans, I might wear a collared shirt and jeans to turn in the application and a collared shirt and khaki pants to the interview. If I was applying for an executive assistant position in a law office, I would definately wear a tie to drop off the application and a jacket and tie to the interview. Of course whatever you wear should be stain and wrinkle free. Make sure they remember you, not your clothes. Be wary of colors, styles and patterns that may attract to much attention to your outfit and take attention away from you as a candidate. Also be careful of odors. Overpowering perfume/colongne or the smell of cigarette smoke may annoy interviewers.

Body Language: Employers (and everyone else for that matter) will "read" your facial expression, posture, movements and gestures to form a first impression of you that they may or may not change. People who exhibit nervous body language (toe and finger tapping, quick movements, etc.) may be seen as untrustworthy and will not be hired. People who exhibit self conscious body language (lack of eye contact, head hanging down, soft voice, etc.) may be seen as lacking in self confidence and are not hireable. People with angry body language (frowning, scowling, intense gaze, etc.) will be percieved as being unfriendly and will not be hired. Employers hire candidates with positive and confident body language. People who hold thier heads up, make eye contact, smile and offer a handshake have offered positive body language and are more likely to get the job.

If you are currently in the process of interviewing, I would advise you to look in the mirror as you leave your home for the interview. What you see in that mirror is what the employer is going to see and if you wouldn't hire that person in the mirror, chances are that the employer wouldn't hire that person either. Maybe it's time for you to work on your appearance and body language.

Good Luck and Good Interviewing!

James Noblitt 5/9/09