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Four minutes ! Studies tell us that is the crucial
period in which impressions are formed by someone we
have just met. Within a mere ten seconds, that person
will begin to make judgments about our professionalism,
social class, morals and intelligence. People tend to
focus on what they see (dress, eye contact, movement),
on what they hear (how fast or slowly we talk, our voice
tone and volume), and on our actual words. Bungle a
first encounter, and in many cases the interviewer will
mistakenly assume you have other negative traits. Worse,
he or she may not take the time to give you a second
chance. Most employers believe that those who look as
if they care about themselves are more likely to care
about their jobs. Research shows that physically
attractive people are generally perceived by prospective
employers as more intelligent, likable and credible.
Your goal should be to come across in the best possible
light-attractive in the way you dress, in your
gestures and facial expressions and in your speech. Here
is how to make those crucial four minutes count.
Look your best. It signals success. Studies have
linked clothing consciousness to higher self-esteem and
job satisfaction. Forget about personal style. At work,
your clothes must convey the message that you are
competent, reliable and authoritative. Dress for the job
you want, not the job you have. If you are scheduled for
an interview at a company you have never visited and are
not sure what to wear, send for a copy of its annual
report and study what the employees pictures as wearing,
or drop by ahead of time to see how they dress.
Monitor your body language. How you move and your
gesture will greatly influence an interviewer's first
impression of you. In a landmark study of
communications, psychologist Albert Mehrabian discovered
that 7 percent of any message about our feelings and
attitudes comes from the words we use, 38 percent from
our voice, and a startling 35 percent from our facial
expressions. In fact, when our facial expression or tone
of voice conflicts with our words, the listener will
typically put more weight on the nonverbal message.
To make your first encounter a positive one, start
with a firm handshake. If the interviewer does not
initiate the gesture, offer your hand first. Whenever
you have a choice of seats, select a chair beside his or
her desk, as opposed to one cross from it. That way,
there are no barriers between the two of you and the
effect is somewhat less confrontational. If you must sit
facing the desk, shift your chair slightly as you sit
down, or angle your body in the chair so you are not
directly in font of your interviewer.
Monitor your body language to make sure you don't
seem too desperate for the job, or too eager to please.
When a 26-year-old telemarketing specialist applied for
a promotion, her interview went so well she was offered
the job on the spot. "I was ecstatic," she recalls. "But
I reacted to the offer with too much enthusiasm. Once
the boss sensed how excited I was, he knew I wasn't
going to turn him down. Consequently, he offered me a
lower salary than I had hoped for. I am convinced I
could have gotten more had I contained myself."
Say what you mean. Your goal is to exude confidence
and be believed. Clinch that favorable first impression
by making your words consistent with your body language
and appearance. If they are not in sync, your misled
messages are bound to confuse your interviewer. Open and
close your conversation on a positive note. when you
leave, summarize why you are the best candidate for the
job and thank the person for his interest. |
