Monday, October 20, 2014

First impressions

A lot of interviewing advice sounds trivial...what you should wear, etc. But there's all that talk about the importance of first impressions. And as much as it sounds like a bunch of poppycock, it matters.

At the end of the day, your next employer is going to mostly hire you for your skills. And your ability to do the job should come through loud and clear in the interview. But unfortunately, a lot of other stuff-- stuff that shouldn't be important-- is going to be evaluated in the interview. Sometimes, the interviewer won't even be aware that they are evaluating these things. So you want to make sure you aren't negatively impacting your chances by doing some dumb stuff you aren't even aware you are doing.

Take fidgeting, for example. The interviewer may hardly notice your foot tapping, yet somehow leave your conversation with the sense the you were nervous or uncomfortable. Totally understandable in an interview to be either of those things. But of course, you'd rather not come across that way. And all those little body language signals and verbal tics can add up to a less than polished presentation.

I'm not saying this to freak you out, because I know that's not going to make interviewing any less nerve-wracking (I hate it too). I'm just proposing that you spend significant time practicing your interviews. Do it with a friend or by yourself. Answer the questions in the mirror. Do what you have to do. It will improve your confidence going into the interview and help you work out your posture issues.

Here's an infographic with ideas of things to focus on (including EVEN MOAR interview questions!).

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