How to Impress During Those Critical First 60-Seconds of Your Job Interview©

Article by Charles Ethos

Ground rules for this 4-articles series: I must presume that by the mere fact you were offered a job interview, your cover letter/resume shows you have the tools for the job. To have any chance of success in your job interview, each step of your interview must be anchored in your qualifications backup by fanatical preparation. Now you’re ready to tackle your first article.

Summary:

The tone for your job interview is usually set during the first 60-seconds. The aim of this article is help you achieve a mind grabbing first impression.

Job interviewing is like a relay race and you’re the runner. Misstep, drop the baton, and you’re disqualified! This is the first, in a series of four job interview articles, to help you target unusual miscues that can derail even your best job interview techniques.

4 Key Steps in a Successful Job Interview

Step 1.                                       The 60-Second First Impression.

Step 2.                                               Answering Interview Questions

Step 3.                                               Asking Interview Questions

Step 4.                                               Asking for The Job

Step 1: The 60-Second First Impression

A first impression is that first flash of mutual recognition with that intangible, nonverbal “I like you” - “You like me” or not. It’s familiar territory. Just think back to your first blind date. Sure your friends talked you up to prepare your way (like a cover letter/resume) but nothing replaced that first glimpse. After that it was all uphill or downhill. A miscued first impression meant an evening of back peddling.

Be honest, am I right?

The Power of Body Language

Nonverbal = body language. Experts estimate that up to 93% of face-to-face communication is nonverbal. Have you heard the classic joke: “I know you’re lying, your lips are moving”? The message of your words can be overwhelmed by the message of your body language. So…

7 Handy Tips to Conjure Up a Disarming First Impression

Before actually meeting someone, we all try to imagine what that person will be like. In the same way, your first impression must live up to your cover letter/resume image. So what can you do? On entry…

1)    Smile. A friendly smile is disarming. It shows your self-confidence while diverting the interviewer’s attention from looking you over more carefully as you approach.

2)    Eye-to-eye contact. This is a continuation of Tip #1. Breaking eye contact can be taken as a sign of weakness. Let it work for you. When you break eye contact, the interviewer’s gaze tends to drop, scanning the rest of you. Are you perfect? Once you are in handshaking range this is less possible unless you’re dealing with a brassy interviewer. Of course this should put you on alert. But be careful. In certain cultures this can misfire.

3)    Walk Tall. Good posture exudes confidence without arrogance. This is where your interviewer can really see your body language at work. It can be unnerving and quite difficult to walk with poise when you are being scrutinized.

So far so good? Now to polish the rest of you…