Our Best Tips On How To Nail A Job Interview In The First 5 Minutes.
The very first moments of a job interview can have a decisive impact on how the rest of it will turn out. With that in mind, here is how you can start it off strong in order to help you secure that dream job of yours.
Your Interview Starts As Soon As You Leave Your Home.
Your interview starts long before you shake hands and sit down in front of your potential new boss. What we mean by this is that you never know who you will bump into while on your commute, or whilst your in the company’s lift. It’s important to make sure you're projecting a friendly, confident and professional manner from the moment you set out your front door.
Ensure you arrive early enough to allow yourself time to settle yourself in. Remember to put your phone on silent, or even better turn it off, take in your surroundings as you might notice something that can make a useful ‘small-talk’ topic later in the interview. While waiting don’t try and cram in any last minute facts, this could end up getting you flustered.
Treat Everyone As Your Interviewer
It’s important to make sure that you’re polite and friendly to everyone that you meet and come across during the interview process. From first greeting the receptionist to anyone you may be sharing the lift with. Although it may seem insignificant, they are all touch points with potential colleagues, so make sure that everyone you come into contact with sees you in the most positive light.
Create The Best First Impression Possible
We’re sure you’re all aware of the first impressions count saying but it couldn’t be more true. In the very first few minutes of meeting someone, smile confidently, shake hands firmly, make good eye contact and generally look as if you want to be there.
When it comes to how you dress, try and match your attire to that of the company you’re meeting with. You should be able to get a good idea of the company’s typical dress code through their website and social media accounts. You will want to project some personality and charisma but also show you are professional and will be a good fit to the company.
Top Tip: If you are really unsure what to wear always dress more formal than you think, it’s better to be overdressed than under.
Prepare For The ‘Small Talk’
As part of the interview prep, it’s a good idea to start thinking of some likely topics that might come up, just to help keep the conversation flowing. The key here is to come up with topics that you may have a shared interest in.
Round Up: First Impression Count!
Survey after survey has highlighted the importance of getting the first few seconds and minutes of your job interview just right.
Below are some facts and statistics regarding the job interview process which may surprise you:
6 in 10 managers say that an interviewee’s dress sense has a big impact on their employability
33% of bosses have admitted that they know within the first 90 seconds on meeting someone they will know if they want to hire them.
It can take someone just 1/10th of a second to form a first impression.
So, there you have it, some top tips to help you through your interview process. Hopefully you’ve learnt a couple of things or even if you knew all of them before it’s always good just to refresh your memory.
Good luck in your interview!