How to enhance the first 5 minutes of a job interview

How to enhance the first 5 minutes of a job interview

The first moments of your interview can have a decisive impact on how the rest of the process will unfold. Find out how to successfully start a job interview and tips on what to avoid.

1. Remember that the interview begins when you leave home

The interview begins before the handshake. You never know who you might meet on the subway or the bus or entering the company building. Your interviewer might be in the same line at the coffee shop, so make sure you exude a friendly, confident, and professional air from the moment you leave the house.

You will have to arrive on time, even before the scheduled time. Give yourself enough time to arrive calm and be able to take a short break. Have a chat with the person at the front desk, put your mobile phone on mute and look around the place – it might come in handy so you can chat later. Avoid falling into last-minute incidents; you want to present yourself as calm and organized, not as nervous and unprepared.

What to avoid:

“I once overheard someone on the phone outside our building complaining loudly about how early the interview was going to be. When I got to my next interview, I realized this person was my next candidate. Not a bright start…”

2. Treat everyone as if they were your interviewer.

Make sure you are polite and friendly to everyone you come across during the selection process. From greeting the person at the reception to the people, you share the elevator with or the one you pass in the corridor of the office… These are all the points of contact with your potential future employer. Co-workers often share their impressions of candidates, so make sure everyone you come in contact with gets a good impression of you.

What to avoid:

“I like to greet candidates in person. On one occasion, a candidate assumed I was an assistant; he treated me strangely and rudely asked me to bring him something to drink. Later he was surprised when he saw that I was conducting the interview. What bothered me the most was that he thought he could treat an employee that way.”

3. Make a good first impression about yourself

First impressions are very important; non-verbal cues sometimes matter more than verbal ones. The first few minutes of an interview are all about smiling confidently, shaking hands firmly, making eye contact, and generally looking happy to be there, showing that you want the job. Lean slightly, raise your eyebrows, and wait to be invited to sit down. Project energy, enthusiasm, and interest in everything you do.

Dress for the occasion, and try to adapt your style to the company for which you will be interviewed. You can get a good idea of ​​the type of clothing appropriate for the company through its website or its channels on social networks. You can find this information in the content about their corporate culture, and, in addition, the recruiter can also give you advice before the interview. Surely you want to project your personality and charisma, but you also want to feel comfortable; if you have doubts, always opt for the more formal side.

What to avoid:

“I once interviewed a candidate who had asked for a glass of water while waiting. The glass was ice cold and must have spilled just before I met him, so my first impression was a cold, wet handshake. So if you order something to drink before the interview, always hold your glass in your left hand.”

4. Prepare to have a small initial conversation

Getting the conversation right can have big consequences. This first talk can build the affinity necessary to generate that “chemistry” that characterizes all effective business relationships.

As part of your interview preparation, think about some possible topics that might come up to help keep the conversation flowing and natural. The key is to get to the topics where you have a common interest with the interviewer or the company so that you can ask and answer questions credibly.

For example, if you see a photo of the interviewer’s family, you could ask them about them and be prepared with a family anecdote of your own. Or if you’re a sports fan and you see signs that your interviewer is too, you could ask an appropriate question to which you have an interesting answer (“who do you think will win the cup this year?”).

Also, think about some current issues. For example, has the company you are interviewing for recently been featured in the media? Or you could ask about the potential impact on the company of something recent, like a serious malware attack. In each case, make sure you have an interesting idea on the topic to contribute.

What to avoid:

“A candidate I interviewed recently asked endless questions about my family, work, company, and some news stuff; he asked me about all kinds of things. He had a little to say and didn’t wait to hear my answers. After asking the following questions, it showed me that you were anxious and a poor listener.”

5. Influence 3 key messages from the beginning

Politicians are recommended to communicate a maximum of three key messages to the media, messages to which they must abide and on which they must influence throughout their intervention.

In the same way, it is a good idea to have two or three key points about what you have to offer and what you are looking for, for example: “I am ready for the challenge of managing a team,” “I combine knowledge of the area with experience technique,” “in my career I have developed an extensive skill in digital transformation.”

These will be the three key points you want your interviewer to remember about you. So he tries to repeat them naturally whenever he can, even in the first few minutes of the interview. It’s also important to have a ready answer to common questions: “tell me why you want this job” or “do you understand what this position entails?”

What to avoid:

“I always start by asking the interviewee to explain what our company does. This seemingly simple question is difficult for many to answer. It’s amazing how many people go out of their way to try to answer it, perhaps because they are attending several interviews simultaneously and have yet to have time to do any research beforehand. But if you can’t explain what the company does and why they were hiring, the interviewer can only conclude that you’re not concerned about the position.”

First impressions count

Various surveys highlight the importance of making a good impression during the first minutes of a job interview:

• 6 out of 10 managers acknowledge that how a candidate is dressed greatly impacts their hiring (source: monster.co.uk survey).
• 33% of bosses say they know if they will hire someone within the first 90 seconds of the interview (source: Classes and Careers).
• It can take anywhere from 1 to 10 seconds for a person to form an impression of your confidence level – and that impression rarely changes later (source: Psychological Science).
• Maintaining eye contact with your interlocutor can help them perceive you to be more intelligent (source: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin).
• The most conservative colors, such as blue and black, will be the safest bets for your clothing, according to a survey of more than 2,000 search and selection professionals. Orange is the worst! (Source: CareerBuilder).

Ten tips to impress in a job interview

The job interview is one of the most important stages in the selection process. The applicant must know how to detail their achievements quantitatively, explaining the increase in sales, cost reduction, and customer satisfaction percentages. , which gives advantages over other applicants.

Going through the different stages in a personnel selection process and getting to the personal job interview means being a strong candidate to fill a vacancy.

In this phase, you cannot let your guard down and believe that you have the position insured because a single mistake, such as speaking ill of the former employer, the previous company, or the former boss, would collapse any possibility of hiring.

How to speak in a job interview?

Employability experts say that the personal job interview is a technique designed to evaluate the experiences and conduct of candidates, comparing them with the skills required to fill the position and determine their potential for success.

It is important to consider that a single mistake would cause the disqualification of an applicant, which is why some tips for a job interview should be followed, such as covering key aspects such as punctuality and formal attire.

The presentation must be neat, using neutral colors, harmonious combinations, and discreet accessories. In the selection process, the interviewer will look for a candidate who can meet the company’s needs through his strengths. Fitting into the organization is very important to obtain the expected results or even exceed them.

10 Tips for a job interview

Professional job seekers must learn to quantify their achievements. For example, it is necessary to detail the success indicators, such as the increase in sales, the reduction of costs, and customer satisfaction percentages.

These actions could grant certain advantages over other applicants. In addition, the presentation of difficult cases or situations that were successfully addressed and resolved is also valid.

To be the ideal candidate and impress in an interview, it is advisable to follow these five basic tips:

1.- Punctuality

Arrive on time for the appointment, even minutes in advance. Arriving at the exact time generates anxiety before, during, and after the interview.

2.- Attention to the conversation

Be attentive and answer the questions coherently. Stopping paying attention or talking about topics that stray from the initial question could project avoidance behavior.

3.- Study the field

Know the business of the company. Sometimes the recruiter could ask about the company’s business, and a good answer could impress.

4.- Good predisposition

Connect with the interviewer: the connection must flow authentically to apply the 3Es (enthusiasm, energy, and success).

5.- Alert to posture and movement

Use good body language. Good posture, a smile, eye contact, and a handshake speak of someone positive and interested in the job.

6.- Review clothing

Use a sober look according to the occasion. It is ideal for wearing comfortable clothing that demonstrates safety.

7.- Security

The candidate must show himself as he is, sure of his worth, academic training, and work experience.

8.- Talk about what is necessary

It is necessary to be clear and concise when talking with the recruiter and not use far-fetched expressions.

9.- Train responses

Prepare the answers: in a job interview, some questions are fixed and common, which is why it is important to train how to answer.

10.- Honesty

It would help if you showed that you could do the job. If the resume is lying, the recruiter can discover it during the interview.

What you should never say in a job interview:

? Negotiating salary in an initial interview gives an image of anxiety about money.

? Mention that it is only a temporary job because the goal is to reach a larger company or the competition.

? Taking responsibility with the interviewer, such as using the first name or making double-meaning jokes, even though they have had a good connection.

? Asking permission to go to the bathroom in the middle of the interview is distracting and could hurt both parties.

? Forget the CV. It is recommended to carry one at each stage of the selection process.

? Address personal or sad topics.

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How to enhance the first 5 minutes of a job interview