13 Nov 09 Bounce Back From Interview Tardiness

Being late to an interview is horrible, but not necessarily a job death sentence. While this is most definitely not the best first impression you can make, you can still save face. Sometimes there’s an emergency that is completely out of your hands. Or even traffic mishaps that you can’t control.

Although the best way to save yourself from being tardy to an interview, is to make sure you’re not late in the first place. That means mapping out your route beforehand. Know the territory, and leave a few minutes earlier than needed.

If you cannot avoid being late, then always call ahead immediately to notify your interviewer of the situation. You have a cell phone for a reason. If there’s bad unexpected traffic, or an accident, call them immediately to let them know you’ll be late. Explain the reason, apologize, and tell the interviewer that you’ll be there as quickly as possible.

When you arrive, don’t rush into the office. Stay calm and composed. Turn this into an opportunity to show your grace under pressure. Being late to an interview could be considered a huge lapse in credibility. But you can spin that by keeping your posture confident, and your demeanor positive and courteous.

By rushing in you show nervousness, which is essentially weakness. If you crack under the stress of getting to an interview on time, are they going to want you during a real work crises? Show that you can stay composed and confident in any scenario.

A good tactic actually is to rush as quickly as possible to the interview, then take a few moments before you enter the building to compose yourself. The key here is staying calm, if you can’t stay calm you’re not going to make a good impression. You’ve already got the tardiness strike against you, so your interview has to be stellar.

Tags: Cell Phone, Credibility, Crises, Death Sentence, Demeanor, Few Minutes, Few Moments, First Impression, Grace Under Pressure, Interviewer, Job, Nervousness, Posture, Stress, T Rush, Tactic, Tardiness, Unexpected Traffic

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08 Oct 09 The Importance Of Body Language In An Interview

A massive part of any interview isn’t what you or the interviewer says, but rather your body language. Body language is a huge form of communication that most don’t even notice. The visual clues that people emit affect emotions from how that person is received, to deductions on how that person feels. Sending the wrong body language in an interview could lead to you not getting a job, no matter what you say. Coming off anything less than positive could be enough to seal the deal, and make you appear less than fit for the job.

So be conscious about everything you’re doing as you walk through the door. When your interview begins, think about the facial expression you have. The first thing an interviewer wants to see, is a confident positive person walking through their door. Does your face reflect confidence, and a positive attitude? Exactly what you should be asking yourself. Stand up straight, reflect good posture, and smile politely. But don’t appear overconfident, remember you don’t have the job yet, and overconfidence can be just as bad as negative body language.

From the successful entrance, make sure to shake hands with ever interviewer present. If you’re being interviewed by a panel, or just one person, make sure to walk over to them and give a good firm handshake. A firm handshake is important, as it shows confidence and also the ability to lead. You’re unafraid when you give someone a firm handshake, and up for the challenge. Make that clear by speaking through your body.

From there make sure to keep up that good posture when you sit down. Respond positively to every question, keeping your confident and courteous demeanor no matter the topic. Also remember to use hand gestures casually when speaking. By using hand gestures you show a calmness during your speech that will resonate on the interviewer. Don’t get excessive with your hand motions, but tracing a few shapes to illustrate an idea is always good.

Answer questions by leaning forward slightly, to show genuine interest and consideration in the question, and your answer. Don’t forget to also keep your voice at a higher decibel. You want to be heard, but you don’t have to shout. Being too loud makes you look overconfident, and that never plays well. Speak so all can hear you, but don’t hurt their ears.

Finally, shake hands with everyone once the interview is over, and thank them for the opportunity. Then, keeping your posture straight, and your disposition positive and courteous, leave the room the same way you came. If you pull off all of these factors correctly, your body language will have been pretty much impeccable. Letting your body speak with you could even just be that edge you need to land that job.

Tags: Calmness, Communication, Confidence, Demeanor, Emotions, Facial Expression, Fit, Getting A Job, Good Posture, Hand Gestures, Hand Motions, Handshake, Interviewer, Lead, Negative Body Language, Positive Attitude, Posture, Shapes, Smile

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17 Sep 09 Make A Great First Impression

Knowing how to make a fantastic first impression is ridiculously important. Not only could this make or break a job interview, but it could also have a huge influence on your candidacy for promotions at your job. By giving a good first impression, you instill a positive memory into everyone meeting you for the first time. Ensuring that when they look back on potential job candidates, you’ll have a warm place in the selection. Not to mention the fact that it’s extremely hard to repair any damage done by making a bad first impression, especially at a job interview.

Work on your body language. You want to have a good healthy natural posture, and to look positive and upbeat. Smile, not a ridiculous fake smile, but a genuine smile that shows you are a positive person. People want positive attitudes in the office, as they make getting work done all the easier. Nobody wants more negativity in the air, and appearing as though you’d only add some is a very bad thing. So make eye contact, keep that smile working, and stay relaxed and comfortable.

Make sure that you’re a friendly and fun person through professional, and appropriate joking or laughing, or conversation. Stay away from politically charged topics that people tend to have strong opinions about, like religion, government, etc. Stick to more simple ideas or topics, or anecdotes about your own life and experiences. Anything to show that you’re an open person, and one that is genuinely interested in communicating with others.

Keep your attire professional, and make sure that you match. You want to choose clothing that’s flattering, as well as professional. Anything to help you look more positive and friendly. Pick an outfit that says you’re a friendly open person. Hardworking, but also a good person to have around, to make the environment more comfortable for everyone around.

Tags: Anecdotes, Body Language, Candidacy, Communicating With Others, Experiences, Eye Contact, Fake Smile, Genuine Smile, Good First Impression, Good Person, Great First Impression, Interview Work, Job Interview, memory, Natural Posture, Open Person, Positive Attitudes, Posture, Promotions, Strong Opinions

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13 Nov 09 Bounce Back From Interview Tardiness

08 Oct 09 The Importance Of Body Language In An Interview

17 Sep 09 Make A Great First Impression

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