When you send your resume to a potential employer, you’re selling your skills. The employer then has to weed through all the people who have the right skills and make a decision as to who will fit in with the company’s culture. This is why making the best first impression, and not relying on your resume alone, will help you land a job.
Here are a few tips on making a great first impression in any situation;
1. Have a purpose. Understand what your goal is and what message you want to convey before every stepping into a new situation with a potential employer.
2. Understand you’re decorations. Yes, decorations! Big earrings, expensive purses, cheap watches- these “decoration” all send social signals to other people. Make sure you’re sending the right message when meeting someone for the first time. For example; you don’t want to carry a Gucci purse to a job interview at a non-profit agency. It sends a tone that you will show up to work without compassion for people less fortunate than you. In this case, leaving the expensive purse home is a great idea.
3. Hold your shoulders high. This social cue displays confidence. Everyone wants to be surrounded by confident people.
4. Don’t fake a great day. If you’re having a bad day, or have received some terrible news, cancel the meeting or social event. Trying to fake it to you make it will send mixed messages. People will sense something is off- even if you’re cheery and smiling.
5. Become contagious. You want people to remember you in a good way. Most people love to talk about themselves or their children. Even if you don’t say much during an initial meeting, always ask about the other person. Let them do most of the talking and they will swear up and down that the two of you really hit it off!
Making a first impression when you’re meeting new people can be hard. Don’t show your nerves. Practice the above tips and you will do fine!
