Thinking about going on an interview? Maybe you have one lined
up and you don't want to blow it. We have all heard that you never get a
second chance to make a first impression. It has become so clich that no
one stops to think about what it really means. The fact that you took the
time to read this article tells me that you are a pro-active person serious
about your career and want to be recognized as the strong, powerful
professional you are.. So read on.
Why is the first impression so important?
I want you to imagine sally jones is dressed beautifully, she is
interviewing for a management position in an investment banking
firm. She arrives 10 minutes prior to her appointment time, sits in
the waiting room breezily flipping through magazines or reports,
maintains a relaxed stance and smiles at the people walking in and
out of the offices. When it is her turn to meet the interviewer, she
trips over a chair and almost falls, becomes embarrassed, sits down
and reaches over to grab her briefcase and spills an entire glass of
water on her. What kind of first impression is that.
Now, imagine the same scenario sally jones is dressed beautifully,
she is interviewing for a management position in an investment
banking firm. She arrives 10 minutes prior to her appointment time,
sits in the waiting room breezily flipping through magazines or
reports, maintains a relaxed stance and smiles at the people walking
in and out of the offices. When it is her turn to meet the
interviewer, she walks into the office with confidence, shakes the
interviewers hand with a firm and professional grip, sits down with
erect posture and comments on a picture behind the interviewer's head
of the interviewer and family in disney world. They share a laugh.
She reaches over to grab her briefcase and again, an entire glass of
water spills on her.
Now, both of these scenarios are going to be approximately 3-5
minutes in length, however, can you FEEL the difference in the first
and second story, simply building rapport and sharing a laugh with
someone can help overcome the obstacle of spilling the water.
So, should you be terrified? Should the first 3 seconds keep you from
sleeping? Well, that all depends on how you look at the glass. Do you
see it half full or half empty? If you can see it half full realize
the simple fact that in the same way it takes only 3 seconds to make
a bad impression and then many good exchanges to change that bad
impression, it also takes a lot of negative happenings and bad
exchanges to eliminate a good first impression.
As long as you make a stellar first impression on the interviewer you
are afforded a few mistakes later on.
The unnerving nature of the first impression can actually work for you
when you know how to make a good first impression.
As you can see, there are a few things you can do to make a great first
impression. Congratulations.. you are on your way to consciously carrying
yourself with much confidence and influence- the kind it takes to get
the job and wow interviewers.