Making the Right Impression

Leaving the Right ImpressionIn an interview, you want to make an impression. The impression you make, whether good or bad, is what an interviewer remembers the most about an applicant. Leaving a bad impression will waste all your efforts in interview preparation. This is why it is essential for you to leave the right impression.

Tips to Make a Better Impression

Dress to impress – Go to an interview looking your best. You don’t want to your interviewer to see a sloppy person in front of him. This will give the impression of a sloppy worker. Dressing to impress is not limited to what you wear. You also need to have the proper grooming and good posture. When you come to an interview, be neat and presentable.

Give a solid handshake – If you want to make an impression, your handshake will surely leave one, but if you want to leave the right impression, you will need to practice giving a solid handshake. For a solid handshake, give the interviewer’s hand a firm grip, establish eye contact, smile, and use 3 to 4 up-and-down motions.

Get a good night's sleep – Coming to an interview with insufficient sleep will hurt you in many ways. Without complete sleep, your answers will be subpar. The interviewer will see bags under your eyes. If you have an upcoming interview, you need to get a good night’s sleep.

Show that you are listening – In an interview, the person sitting across from you will appreciate it when she sees you intently listening to what she is saying. This will show that you are interested and want to join the company. Eye contact and few nods as a sign of agreement to what the interviewer is saying are great ways to show that you are listening.

Be on time – This is one of the golden rules in coming to an interview. An applicant who comes to interview late immediately raises a red flag. A good way to measure travel time is by scheduling a day to go to the office of the interview.

A winning smile – There’s nothing like a smile to put both parties at ease. A smile goes a long way toward leaving a great impression with your interviewer, but don’t overdo it, or else the interviewer will feel uncomfortable.

Positivity – A person’s mindset affects everything around him. A positive attitude will help you be confident in the interview. The interviewer will immediately feel the positive energy from an applicant.  Your positive perspective will be a great impression to leave with the interviewer.

Attitude – In any setting, what we remember most about people is their attitude. In an interview, remember to be extra polite and nice to everyone. Any sign of a bad attitude will only hurt your chances of getting hired.
 
Eye contact – In any conversation, you want the other person to be paying attention. In an interview, when an interviewer sees the applicant drifting his eyes toward anything other than the interviewer, this will leave a bad impression. You want to show the interviewer that you are interested in him and in the company.

The interview process varies by person, company, field, and other factors, but what is critical is that you do all of the right things to show the interviewer that you are the right person for the job. Prepare for your interview properly, and leave the right impression to make sure your interviewer remembers you for all the right reasons.