ProTem -- Legal Services: Your First Impression

YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION

By Karen Conole

You can take great pains to compose the most irresistible resume and then prepare for hours—even days—for an interview but, if you haven’t made the effort to create a good first impression, all your work will be wasted within the first few minutes of meeting your interviewer(s).

Think about how quickly you judge another person during your first encounter (and that’s not even someone you’ll be paying to work for you!). The easiest way to gain an edge over your competition for a job is to cinch that good first impression, so remember:

1) Arrive on time. Being on time is the cheapest, easiest way to make a good impression. Do it! Even if you’re only five minutes late, all the excuses in the world won’t keep your interviewer from thinking, “You came late and had me wait for you, rather than arrive early and wait for me, so you must think your time is more valuable than mine.” Ideally, you’ll want to arrive about ten minutes early (but not much earlier than that, or you’ll look too eager—even desperate—so if you get there more than 20 minutes early, read a book in your car, or take the time to review the points you’ll want to convey in the interview.

2) Have a well-groomed, professional appearance. Every aspect of your appearance must indicate that you care about your overall presentation, so your clothing must be clean, pressed, well fitting (not tight) and suitable for the type of work you seek. (A party dress may be your best outfit, but you’re not going to party; you’re going to work, so skip the sheer, shimmery, or tight clothes, hats, overpowering jewelry and/or scent.) Your clothes should not distract the interviewer from focusing on your abilities. The safest bet for office workers is to wear a suit (or separates with a jacket) in a conservative color. Check to be sure there are no gaps or strains when sitting or standing; you don’t want your clothes to be a distraction for you. No gum (ever).

3) A firm handshake, sustained eye contact, good posture, a warm smile and introducing yourself in a confident, relaxed manner are the quickest, most effective means to making a good first impression. Practice in front of a mirror and with others until you can do this “naturally.” Don’t be embarrassed; most people who are successful in business have practiced their first impression until it has become second nature to them.

4) Be yourself, but be your best self. Just as you have your best suit, so too do you have your best self. Present both in your interview. Keep in mind that your overall goal is to leave the interviewer with a positive impression of you, so always highlight positive examples of your work. Focus on the enthusiasm, not the doubt; the high points, not the lows. Everyone experiences lows, but don’t waste your limited interview time on negative aspects of your life, job, former boss, etc. If you see the interview heading that way, change the subject to something (anything) more positive about your experience/skills. (This is especially difficult when discussing an unpleasant prior boss/coworker or boring job description. The temptation to “vent” is strong, but don’t do it! Change the subject quickly, before your interviewer, while smiling, begins to think of you as the kind of person who trashes someone/something once you’re no longer involved with them.)

5) Try to think of three or four key “selling points” that you want to convey in the interview. Keep track of them and, if they didn’t get mentioned in the interview, take a moment to state them. There’s no harm—and indeed it shows initiative—if you say something like, “I would just like to mention one or two points that may make a difference in my application with your company…” Then present your selling points in as concise a manner as possible. Remember that there would be no way for the interviewer to know this information if you don’t state it, so it’s now or never.

6) One thing every employer looks for in an applicant is enthusiasm. Skills can be taught, but a genuine desire to do the work is something you must bring to the table yourself. Sometimes that one qualification alone is the deciding factor on who gets the job. If you don’t really have an interest in the job, you probably would not be able to fake it in the interview (and why try, when you don’t really want the job?). If you are interested in the job, however, it is always a good idea to express that interest. Don’t worry about losing any “bargaining points” when it comes to negotiating salary later on (wanting the job is not the same as wanting the job at any price), and employers look to hire people who want to do the job that is offered, not just any job.

1) If you’ve said something that you regret, or feel that the interviewer has misinterpreted, take a moment to correct it. It’s okay to say something like, “I’ve been rethinking my answer to your previous question and would like to restate it, if I might,” or “I’m afraid my last statement may be misinterpreted. What I meant to say was …” It’s better to correct a mistake than worry about it and have it adversely affect your responses to the remaining interview questions.