The power of a first impression is something we’ve all experienced at one time or another. This could occur meeting someone for a first date, interacting with an individual in a service capacity, or sizing up the potential of a job candidate. In each of these activities, there’s typically a certain amount of time allotted to deciding the worthiness and/or effectiveness of the person as a result of the impression. When it comes to a customer service scenario, the judgement could rest on the ultimate outcome of the event or the promptness of a response. When it comes to a job search, first impressions can occur in the first five minutes of an interview, according to a release from CareerBuilder.
Actions not Words
Non-verbal body language can create the largest impact during the first five minutes of an interview. Even before you begin a conversation, individuals within the workplace are observing your body language. The interactions and first impressions can even begin before you step into the office. Who can forget the well-publicized examples of job candidates who were rude to someone on the train or cut someone off in traffic only to find themselves interviewing with the person from an earlier altercation.
Potential scenarios might include holding the door for someone on the way into the office, initiating a friendly interaction with the receptionist pre- or post-interview, or correcting a slumped posture while waiting for the interview to begin. Some of the biggest early interview mistakes include answering a cell phone or texting, swearing during an interview, or acting arrogant or superior. Each demonstrates how a potential job candidate could act at work. If these are less-than-desirable behaviors, the interviewer may wonder if those same qualities could be on display when working with co-workers and clients.
Seeing Eye to Eye
One of the biggest deal breakers in an interview is the tendency for a candidate to avoid eye contact. In part enabled by an increasing reliance on technology, job candidates are often missing the importance of verbal skills and all-important eye contact. A discomfort with face-to-face conversation can also display itself through fidgeting, playing with an inanimate object, not smiling, or crossing arms over the chest. Each of these things can translate as a lack of seriousness about the position and a clue the candidate may not have the necessary social skills to work with internal and external clients.
Practice the Human Element
The workplace relies on the human element even with our ever-increasing reliance on technology. Face-to-face communication and good social skills remain critical in the workplace. While it may seem silly, take time to practice these genuine interactions with friends and family before trying them out in an interview. It’s these kind of “soft” skills that can make or break an interview opportunity.
As a top Kansas City recruiting firm since 1988, Austin Nichols Technical Search has served clients in a variety of fields and specializations. Austin Nichols specializes in direct hire and contract recruiting for all generations in manufacturing, construction, engineering, and technical positions.
