JobSeekers Tips for Making Good Impressions

Life is all about making good first impressions with the people we meet. This article provides tips for making good first impressions in business and networking situations; with business cards, cover letters, and resumes; in job interviews; and when you are starting a new job.

In Business and Networking Situations
When meeting people for the first time, whether for career networking or client meetings, it's essential that you look the part. In other words, you must dress for the specific occasion. Conduct a little research or contact the organization responsible for the event to uncover the proper attire. In a pinch, it's always better to be overdressed than underdressed. And it's not just what you are wearing but how you're wearing it, so make sure your clothing is clean and well-pressed.

Grooming is also an important part of first impressions. Hair should be neat and certainly not the wind-tunnel look. For men, facial hair should be either non-existent or well-maintained. For women, less make-up is always better than too much. A light perfume or cologne is acceptable, but be careful of overwhelming the people in the room. Finally, a minimal amount of tasteful jewelry is best.

A small, but relatively unknown fact about name tags they should be worn on the person's right shoulder area so that when someone approaches to greet and shake his/her hand, the person's eyes follow the arm right up to the name tag, making it much easier to greet the person rather than looking all the way over to the other side of the person or worse, toward the cleavage for a woman.

Next up for first impressions are the handshake and greeting. Handshakes should be simple extend right hand and grasp gently but firmly. No bone-crushers and no four-handed, one-hand over the other shakes. And no sweaty, clammy, or wimpy handshakes. If your nerves cause you to get wet palms, carry a handkerchief in your pocket and wipe your hand before you do the meet and greet. The greeting should be short and simple, making certain you listen for the other person's name. For example, I might greet someone in a business setting as, "Hi. I'm Dr. Randall Hansen, founder of Quintessential Careers." Be certain to speak clearly and enunciate.

To nail the good impression you're trying to make, the last tip when you're in this setting is not to make the conversation all about you. You want to engage the other person in conversation, making certain to use his/her name for emphasis. You can, of course, talk about yourself, but don't make the whole conversation about you and keep stories short. Look for common ground with the person you're talking to, and share stories about that common interest. And, of course, avoid talking about controversial subjects, such as religion, politics, and sex. If you're naturally funny, use humor, but nothing off-color, and show your serious side also.

Learn more about the power of networking, how to develop and grow your network, and much more in the Career and Job-Search Networking section.

With Business Cards, Cover Letters, and Resumes
For first impressions, the most important element here is the design and format. Except in very creative professions, colors of the paper and the text should be conservative. The same holds true with the typeface, use normal, readable fonts.

Business or networking cards should be simple and tastefully designed, and include key contact information. For some professions, such as sales, you can use a picture, but make certain it is a good photo.

Keep cover letters to no more than five short paragraphs, though four is better. The letterhead should match your resume, as should the paper and font(s). The way to make the strongest first impression is to address the letter to the recipient by name. The worst thing you can do is misspell the person's name. The second best way to make a good impression is to have a dynamic and powerful first paragraph that explains why you are writing. (Many job-seekers waste the first paragraph by writing a dull first paragraph.)

Your resume format should be original and inviting to the reader. Don't cram every single detail into a resume with no margins and tiny type. Use white space and go to additional pages or cut material. I have a true "rule of thumb." If my thumbs cover parts of your resume when I am holding it, then the margins are too narrow and I immediately have a negative impression of the resume. You should also know what is trendy in resumes and include those things in yours. For example, an accomplishments summary that highlights your 3 to 4 best attributes specific to the job at hand.

In Job Interviews
Because the job interview is usually your first face-to-face with the employers, first impressions are especially crucial. Arrive about 15 minutes early so you have time to find the exact office, perhaps with a stop at a restroom to conduct a final grooming check as well as possibly complete some paperwork before the interview starts. Always be polite to the support staff, as the impression you make with them will often be factored into the hiring decision. Of course, dressing for success and proper grooming are essential. Never arrive with any kind of food in your mouth or on your teeth, and try not to smoke right before the interview. Turn off your cell phone on the way to the interview. In the interview, smiling and making strong eye contact are important elements to establishing a good impression. Answering interview questions with ease (showcasing your interview preparation) and asking questions of the interviewer are vital to making a good impression. A great way to cement a strong first impression is writing a thank-you note after the interview. Visit our 200 Interviewing Questions.

When Starting a New Job
The first impressions you make with your co-workers and supervisor will go a long way to building a solid reputation for yourself. In those first days and weeks, you'll want to arrive a bit early, take no more than your allotted breaks during the day, leave no earlier than when the majority of the others in your area leave, and avoid calling in sick or taking personal days. In terms of actual work, you'll want to show your team spirit by supporting the team, perhaps even offering to take on a bit more than usual if the team needs it. Listen more than talk in those early days, and certainly do not showboat until you have firmly established your reputation as a solid worker and team player. And it should go without saying, but stay clear of all office politics and gossip. Finally, remember to keep your personal communications email, IM, and phone to a minimal while at work.

Final Thoughts
You might think that making a good first impression is really about using common sense and you would be correct. At the same time, we constantly hear horror stories from recruiters and employers about the unfortunate things job-seekers do, resulting in extremely poor first (and often last) impressions. Use your common sense and follow the tips in this article and you will go far in making a good first impression.

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

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Moving to a smaller firm – getting ready for success

A frequent conversation I have with fellow candidates is the desire to seek employment in a smaller firm due to expected greater, ability to influence the outcome and generally less office politics. (Bonus: If you are in a start-up, you can add the expectations to wear jeans and use an Mac vs. a pc).

Having myself both worked in a 60,000 employee firm and a 4 person firm, there is truth in that you have more influence on the outcome.
To help you get prepared for possible networking/interviews, here’s a few of my lessons.

One: You have to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. My colleagues learned what I was good at and what I was not in quick fashion, and I did the same with them. The sign of a good team is that you figure out how to compensate for one another.

Two: You do not have a big team to back you up. As CFO, I have gone from designing our chart of accounts to pitching for $2 million of investment in the same afternoon. I’ve also designed pages on our website and developed our initial social media strategy. You just need to be ready to work above, at, below and alongside your title.

Three: You need to think like an owner. In a small firm, business gets down to the bare essentials: Client needs, sales levels, spending and available cash/capital. You have to watch each like a hawk and understand what drives each one.

Four: The good news: A small team that talks often. The bad news: You talk often. You need to keep up your outside network to make sure you get an unbiased opinion of your strategy, etc.

Like all my posts, consider my ideas as a place to start. If you start looking at a smaller firm, sit down with a few colleagues who have made the transition to help you prepare.

Good luck this week.

Mark Richards

www.candidateschair.com – Tools and Advice from a Candidate’s viewpoint to help get past job search roadblocks and keep your spirit strong. Please take a visit.


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What to do when reality seems suspended

Here’s a short excerpt of an interview between a Human Resources team member (HR) and myself (MR) regarding a finance role:

HR: “Tell me how you collaborated with operations.”

MR: “I spent 30% of my time in the field at our branch locations, with Account Management or on sales calls. The more time I spent in the field, the better I knew how to support them.”

HR: “You did not use the word ‘collaborate’ in your answer.”

MR: “I know, the answer explaining my actions of collaboration with the operations team.”

HR: “Yes, but I was hoping you used the word ‘collaborate’.”

This enjoyable banter on ‘collaboration’ continued for a few more
minutes. I was told that implying a word was not as powerful as using the word.

As we finally moved on, I remember thinking, “It’s better to imply you’re a knucklehead, then to make it more powerful by proving it”.

I was thinking about myself, as I had just fallen for the oldest and biggest interview temptation: Trying to prove your point, or better said, disprove theirs.

It’s at the moment when the other person seems to suspend reality with a ridiculous argument or statements that can make or break your ability to keep your odds of impressing them remain high.

If the statement misstates your skill or experience, offer a single statement of correction. If they are simply off-base on an issue, then let it go. In either case, just get the conversations moving onto a new topic.

My lesson: No use trying to defuse the bomb that’s gone off – especially if you are the one who set it off.

Hope you have a good week.

Mark Richards

www.candidateschair.com – Tools and Advice from a Candidate’s viewpoint to help get past job search roadblocks and keep your spirit strong. Please take a visit.





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A bit of insight when trying to switch industries

I have had three distinct industries shifts in my career: commercial travel, financial services and telecommunications provider. So take heart for anyone hearing “you don’t have industry experience”, it can happen.

We all believe we can succeed because our skill set will transfer intact. As each of my industries have been very different in size, scope, regulatory, competition and technology, let me share what I believe transfers well.

ONE: Understanding the business model - Most people figure out how a business makes money pretty quick. Generally speaking, each area of the business has 3-4 key items.

TWO: Technical skills - While the application of the skills may differ, the understanding of the technical skills (e.g. marketing, accounting, etc.) for your professional move across.

THREE: Communication and Personal skills - These are the skills and experiences that make you truly unique from other candidates, so they transfer very well. Again, how you apply them will be different, but usually it’s these skills on what seals the deal when getting hired.

Okay, so you read that and think “So what’s the big deal? Why are people hung up on experience?”

Here it is: A intuitive sense of the business.

When switching industries you must learn the language, trends, competitive forces, etc. When someone says “ABC Company just raised their price 2%” – you will not know how to react, because you need to learn what the price change means. Within your first year, you’ll encounter this dozens of times (if not more).

While a new perspective or outside view is always a benefit, you need to recognize that it is difficult to be as efficient as others until you learn the industry. Also, people feel more comfortable with those who understand the business already, especially if the business is in trouble and they need to act fast.

When looking at a new industry, the skills to emphasize are living through a major industry shift, launching a new business, working in different geographies – basically, anything that shows you understand the challenges of making a change and have been successful in doing so.

Also, have a plan of how to learn the industry. The best way to do that is to spend time with someone currently in the business.

Good luck this upcoming week.

Mark Richards

www.candidateschair.com – Tools and Advice from a Candidate’s viewpoint to help get past job search roadblocks and keep your spirit strong. Please take a visit.




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