First Impressions at Interview
Keith Busfield
PR Officer at Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride in Aid of The Connection at St Martin in-the-Fields
I was at the CIPD exhibition last week meeting HR Directors, employment lawyers, recruiters and the likes, hearing talks and visiting stands about inclusiveness, wellbeing, GDPR, recruitment, assessment centres etc. Before you yawn, it was not all work and no play: Check me out on Twitter @KeithBusfield1
One of the stands was run by a recruitment communications company, JVP Group. (As an aside isn't it great when you meet someone who genuinely exudes passion for their work and an interest in you as a person.) The draw to the stand was an artist who was producing caricatures - not cartoons. Apparently there is a difference.
It got me thinking, not for the first time, about first impressions, feedback, and given what I do, the job market. Within minutes, indeed seconds, the artist had summed me up and put pen to paper. I might not like his depiction but isn't that the type of judgement that recruiters and interviewing line managers make almost instantly at interview or beforehand as part of their selection process.
The cheesy grin, the (apparently) fat cheeks, the balding head. It's me as other people, or in this case the artist, sees me.
So how does the recruiter "see you"? Your CV, is it long, boring, written in meaningless jargon with speellling errors galore? Your digital footprint is it non-existent, lacking judgement, or telling a story that you wished could be whitewashed from your history. A good recruiter will check you out online. Beware.
You walk into the room. Do you exude confidence or arrogance? Do you smile or avoid eye contact? Is your dress sense in keeping with your target audience or does wearing a bad taste Xmas jumper point you prematurely to the exit door? Is your tattoo best kept under wraps rather than be on public display?
Are you prepared for the interview or do you project a seat of the pants way of operating? Within seconds the interviewer will be sizing you up. Decisions are often made very early in the interview, with 90% of the ensuing time spent either finding evidence that supports the initial positive conclusions or reasons to curtail the interview soonest.
How would the artist depict you?
Career Consultant: retired
7 年Job seekers of course need to take care of all the minute details of preparation (dress, grooming, manner) before any interview but then must be authentic and consistent. Being aware of 'personal branding' is critical.
Author of My Career Rules! | Career Specialist | Supports Elite Australian Athletes | Executive Job Search Expertise
7 年I recently struggled with a client who exuded arrogance in his body language. I tend to be very brave with talking to clients about interview issues but how to phrase this just eluded me. I could scarcely say, 'You look arrogant.' Any advice?
PR Officer at Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride in Aid of The Connection at St Martin in-the-Fields
7 年Hi Simon. Confidence, presence, conviviality and positive body language is great. But so too is preparation. Game not yet over but I'm sure your client will do well. Proverbial pint sized blonds by the way equally can exude presence - it's not all about being 6' plus with a strong handshake.