30 Seconds to Make a Great First Impression in an Interview - Research Paper Example

30 seconds to make a great first impression in an interview Your al affiliation Submission date Abstract This paper explores the idea of thirty seconds to make a great first impression in an interview. Considering different books and articles, the paper analyses the importance of initial thirty seconds and different elements which contribute to a great first impression. A huge part of the way people judge each other is by their first impressions. It happens instantly after meeting and there are rare instances that they change their minds. The process becomes more precise and deciding when it comes to an interview. The first impression is established at a first glance which gives the interviewee only 30 seconds to impress the interviewer primarily by his personal appearance, confidence, and body language. 30 seconds to make great impression in an interview “When it comes to the world of business, perception is often reality” states Peterson(2011,p.111).After going through the job application and making it all the way to interview, the thing it takes to win the job is considered to be a great first impression. The opportunity to hit the mark is very precise and amounts to a limited time frame of only 30 seconds as Wargo (2006) states, “(one) will never get a second change to make a great first impression.”It is a commonly perceived reality that interviewer, like any other human being, forms an impression about an individual, his personality, character, and most often this impression is indelible (Wargo, 2006). This paper briefly analyses the factors involved in making great first impression and influencing interviewer in 30 seconds to vote in favor. Crucial 30 minutes According to research, 55 per cent of the first impression is based on appearance and behavior. These personal attributes of any human being include clothing, posture, body language, facial expression, confidence, and eye contact. Thirty-eight per cent of the first impression relays on the way one speaks. It includes, voice quality, pitch, tone, clarity, accent, and confidence. Quite surprisingly, only seven per cent of first impression is formed by the words one says. It implies that a whole 93 per cent of the very crucial first impression stems from an individual’s looks and sounds (Corfield, 2009, p.46) and interviewer is no exception. According to Joiner and Meg (2008, p.161) a few simple and straightforward rules can ensure positive initial moments in an interview. These positive initial moments form a generally positive opinion about the interviewee and remaining time naturally proceeds in a pleasant way. In contrast, if initial moments are negative, it takes an uphill climb to change the opinion once established. With all the information and preparation, it should be a priority to utilize these initial moments to advantage (Joiner & Meg, 2008, p.161). 1. Physical appearance Dressing up professionally is a must do, unless specified otherwise by organization. Even if an organization specifies that the office is casual, it is important to dress up on the more professional side of casual, for instance, business casual, gray, black, or navy outfits are best; men are advised to put on jackets which are easily taken off; women are not necessarily required to wear skirts or dress(Joiner & Meg,2008,p.161). Dress for success as it is often said, the dress needs to be comfortable, professional looking, and well-fitted. Great looking outfit alone does not serve the purpose as interviewee should also feel comfortable and confident in carrying the outfit. It is important to remember that first impression associated with dressing is not about proving one’s uniqueness or reaffirming one’s independent streak. In fact, it is a simple psychological perception that people react immediately and form instant impressions. These reactions influence their decisions about interviewee .Right clothing expresses his adaptability to a traditionally professional environment which may be a demand for the position. Paying attention to the appearance does not imply an elaborate hairdo, rings, necklaces, jangling bracelets, or any kind of ostentatious jewelry. After all, the purpose of interview is to convince the interviewer to pay attention on what interviewee have to say rather than what their appearance seems to be saying (Joiner & Meg, 2008, p.162). 2. Personal hygiene and perfume   Clean and fresh body, hair, hands, feet, nails, groomed eye brows and beard immediately add points. Furthermore, too much odor, such as, cologne, perfumes, or heavily scented soaps are generally considered to be a deterrent. Interviewers may not prefer to concentrate in a heavily scented room; they may become irritated by the immoderate use of scent; they  may have allergy which can cause them to sneeze for next thirty minutes; considering the power of olfactory memories, interviewee never know that his or her cologne can be same as interviewer’s ex(Joiner & Meg,2008,p.161). 3. Body Language 3.1 Eyes contact After walking through the door in a professional looking and comfortable dress, next step is to project oneself as a confident and reliable candidate. Small gestures make a huge difference when it comes to make a great first impression. Making a deep and frequent eye contact with everyone in the room conveys a strong message of interviewees confidence and self-assurance. Eye contact should be established with every interviewer during conversation by shifting point of focus. Eye contact breaks can be taken during thinking and formulating answers, but breaks should come naturally. It is highly appreciable to note every interviewer’s name and initiate conversation by making eye contact and saying their names. This practice gives an instant boost to interviewee’s impression (Joiner & Meg, 2008, p.162). 3.2 Shake hand and nervous tics A good shake hand with interviewers and smile helps one shine throughout the process. Handshake should neither be a “dead fish” which is limp and without appropriate pressure nor fingertip squeeze. After handshake and eye contact, there come nervous tics which every interviewee must consider. Controllable physical nervous tics include: tapping the surface, clicking pens, and bouncing legs. Verbal nervous tics include expressions like “umm,” “like,” “and all”. Both of these nervous tics are irritating and distracting but easily avoidable as well. These nervous tics stems from anxiety. These habits can be changed by practicing answers; discouraging to keep talking; and taking few moments to think about the appropriate answer. It is important to practice being comfortable with silence. In order to avoid physical tics, potentially distracting objects should be removed from the access area (Joiner & Meg, 2008, pp.162-163). Slangs, such as, “like,” “or dude” should be completely avoided. Keeping the hands still or moving them in a natural way is a matter of personal preference. It may add emphasis to the answers if used appropriately. 3.3 Posture Standing and sitting in a straight posture not only makes a person appear to be confident but it also makes him feel the same. While sitting, one should keep both feet firmly on ground in order to avoid bouncing legs. By sitting straight and not slouching helps remain alert (Joiner & Meg, 2008, p.163) and confident. 3.4 Facial and voice expressions In order to keep the interviewee at ease, interviewers ask informal things with a definite purpose of making a judgment (Anderson, 2007, p.5). Expressions of interviewee’s face needs to be pleasant and confident, as soft smile can work wonders in this regard. Preparation and focus on communication skills helps in positive facial expression and avoid nervousness. An appropriate speaking style involves “clear enunciation, a varied pitch, and no mumbling” (as cited in Phillips and Stanley, 2012, p.175).Using happy and pleasant expressions and words; being polite; using emotions to express warmth and enthusiasm; and subtly mirroring interviewers’ tone and posture are some of the other factors that lead to a positive impression immediately (Phillips and Stanley, 2012, p.175). With increasing media reliance, people have become more sophisticated when it comes to presenting oneself or judging others. It may be a matter of concern for some, but for an interviewee, it gives more control over the extent he can impress interviewer (Corfield, 2009, p.46). Therefore, while trying to make a great first impression in 30 seconds that leads to success, one must consider and prepare for critical aspects of pleasant physical appearance; personal hygiene; and cordial and confident body language. Works cited Anderson, R. E. (2007). How to interview. Retrieved from http://www.capital.edu/24541.pdf Corfield, R. (2009).Successful interview skills: How to prepare, answer tough questions and get your ideal job (5th ed.).London: Kogan Page Limited. Joiner, S. & Meg, B. (2008). The idealist guide to nonprofit careers for sector switchers. United States: Hundreds of Heads Books, LLC. Paterson, T. (2011).Manskills: How to avoid embarrassment & impress everyone. Minnesota: Creative Publishing international, Inc. Phillips, J. & Stanley, M.G. (2012). Organizational behavior: Tools for success. USA: South-Western, Cengage Learning. Wargo, E. (2006, July).How many seconds to a first impression? Association for Psychological Science (APA).Retrieved from http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=2010 Read More