The first thing to look at could well have come
from the previous section. It was a bit borderline, but, after
weeks of deliberation I decided here was the best place
for it. If you remember I mentioned that those vital
first impressions can be made in as short a time-scale as four
seconds. So what can you do to put the odds in your favour at
this crucial time?
Your body language, if right, can make sure you
get the right reaction from the interviewer at this key early
stage. As soon as your interviewer appears, stand up straight
(you are likely to be sitting in some sort of waiting area),
take an open pose and offer your hand.
Introduce yourself "Good morning I'm Derek Armson",
establish eye contact and shake hands firmly, and smile as you
do this. Let's look at each part of the introduction in detail.
1.The Introduction
- This is really just plain good manners. Your voice should be
firm and confident, but polite. This tells the interviewer you
are a self-confident person who is not afraid of meeting new
people. Gain one plus mark!
2. Eye Contact -
Eye
contact is crucial in making a good first impression. Avoid eye
contact and the interviewer will immediately be on the
defensive, as he will believe you are trying to hide something,
or that you are not honest, etc. Remember earlier, if you do
not get a positive in those early seconds, the interviewer will
take a dislike to you and try to justify that by asking more
awkward questions, turning the answers to fit his "profile" of
you. This initial eye contact again shows good confidence and
the ability to deal effectively with people.
Some people find it difficult, even after years
of practice, to maintain direct eye contact. A little trick of
the trade here. If you do find this difficult, try looking
just above the bridge of the nose. It will give the
interviewer the impression of eye contact. You will, however,
lose the benefit of being able to read the interviewers own
eyes. This can reveal many things! Gain another plus mark for
good initial eye contact.
Having made good initial eye contact, make sure
you maintain a good level of eye contact during the course of
the interview. If you do not, or allow your own gaze to wander,
it will be interpreted as a sign of disinterest on your part. I
hope it goes without saying that it is vital that the
interviewer thinks you are interested in the job he has to
offer!
3.
Handshake
-
A firm
handshake, please. There is nothing worse than the "wet
fish" handshake. Sorry, but if you shake hands like an old wet
rag, it is taken as a sign of weakness. It is not very pleasant
on the receiving end either. Not only is a limp handshake seen
as a sign of weakness, it will make you feel weak and submissive
as well. In 99% of cases it will put the interviewer off, and
go a long way to create the wrong first impression.
4.
Voice -
As I said
firm, confident and polite. Speak deliberately and with as low a
voice as you can naturally generate. This is important.
Try too hard and you will sound false. If you do not believe
this, next time you are involved in a group discussion look out
for the dominant person. It will not be the loud, high voiced
aggressive person, but the deliberate low speaker. The ideal
example is that of a T.V newsreader. If you feel you have a
problem in this area, it pays to practice.
Small portable dgital recorders are available
cheaply nowadays. Listen to yourself, what do you sound like?
Compare yourself to the newsreaders, how do you differ?
Some regional accents, if very strong, may also
hold you back. I know this is a case of prejudice, and I am not
defending it, but trying to get a job, say, in a City Bank with
a Mancunian accent could prove more “awkward”. If you decide
you need to make a change, there are many communication courses
and speech therapists available.
5. Smile -
I have
left this one until last because it is the easiest to do and the
easiest to forget but, it is the most important.
A smile is so vitally important. It makes the
interviewer feel, for want of a better word, nice! It helps get
him on your side, and will (normally) smooth the path into the
interview. By the way, if the interviewer smiles at you during
the interview, always smile back, and when you smile, make sure
it is sincere. If it looks even the slightest bit false, the
response will undoubtedly be negative!
Next Page -
Body Language
- Do's and Don'ts
