Here's how you can make a positive first impression during an interview.

-Choose Professional Attire: Wear clothing that is appropriate for the company’s culture, erring on the side of formality if unsure. -Grooming: Ensure your hair, nails, and overall appearance are neat and well-groomed. -Attention to Details: Pay attention to small details, like polished shoes and minimal accessories, to complete a polished look.

Llegar temprano a una entrevista, te da la oportunidad a más de generar una buena opinión del entrevistador, familiarizarte con el ambiente, ver muchas veces esos puntos claves que puedes tener a la mano con el simple hecho de ser buen observador, tener ese valor agregado que puede ser determinante el momento que sea la elección.

-Plan Your Route: Check the route to the interview location ahead of time and account for possible delays. -Arrive Early: Aim to arrive at least 10-15 minutes early to demonstrate reliability and respect for the interviewer’s time. -Prepare in Advance: Have all necessary documents ready the night before, so you can leave on time without last-minute stress.

-Smile: A genuine smile can set a positive tone for the interview. -Firm Handshake: Offer a confident, firm handshake as a sign of professionalism. -Make Eye Contact: Maintain appropriate eye contact to show confidence and interest in the conversation.

-Focus: Give the interviewer your full attention, avoiding distractions. -Show Interest: Nod and use verbal cues like “I see” or “That’s interesting” to show you are engaged. -Clarify Doubts: If you don’t understand a question, politely ask for clarification to ensure you provide relevant answers.

-Articulate Well: Speak at a moderate pace, clearly enunciating your words to ensure you are understood. -Organize Thoughts: Take a moment to collect your thoughts before responding to questions to provide concise and coherent answers. -Confident Tone: Use a confident but not overly aggressive tone to convey assurance in your abilities.

Its important that you have a good initial pitch or Professional Value Proposition- PVP (or an Elevator Pitch). A clear and focused PVP displays your passion for your chosen field and explains your value as a contributor to an organization. Its an important piece of information that will differentiate you from the competition. Being able to concisely say who you are and what you do, highlighting your strengths, achievements and what excites about the new role is how you can market yourself effectively. So when an interviewer asks you the initial question of “ tell me about yourself”, you have a well thought out and crisp response which will definitely create a positive first impression.

First impressions are made in 7 seconds, so the start of the interview is critical. I always advise job seekers to smile, initiate a conversation, and look engaged within those first 7 seconds - as simple as it sounds, it goes a long way and will make a candidate stand out. Research shows that people make an assumption about individuals in the initial few seconds of meeting the person, and then spend the remainder of the conversation confirming that assumption.

Pay attention to your body language and paralinguistics (the way your voice sounds). Most of our communication happens in the realm of these two. Some tips for body language: - Make sure to sit straight, show your hands, do not fidget. Maintain an open posture. Look people in the eye. Some tips for your voice: - avoid inflections at the end of your sentences, which make everything sound like a question. That makes you seem insecure. - breathe deeply, from your diaphragm; otherwise you'll lose your breath quickly and that will weaken your voice. Btw, this is easier if you speak slowly and sit straight.