Self Presentation Secrets… How to make good first, last and enduring impressions.
There are very few things that can make or break a deal, a relationship a job interview than first and last impressions. First impressions are lasting we’ve all heard but last impressions can outlast anything that preceeded them. In between, there can be hundreds of little sublties and nuances that either help or hinder our efforts to be liked, get our messages across or make the sale.
Without filling you full of statistics about verbal and non verbal communications, let’s just approach this from a common sense perspective. Let’s look at three areas: dress and appearance, voice and delivery, posture and demeaner.
First, dress and appearance, though the easiest to fix is often the least attended to. Before you rush out and spend a bomb on a new suit or haircut, think about the most important meeting you’ll have for that day and dress accordingly. It is easier to remove a jacket, scarf or tie if you’ve over dressed then it is to cover up the fact you are not wearing one.
If you are on a job interview, dress as well as the person conducting the interview. I remember years ago when I started my business and things were tough, I needed some quick money for some bills so I took applied for a night security guard job. I went to the interview in a suit and tie, surrounded by folks in “T” shirts and jeans. Not only was I hired on the spot, but given “hazardous duty”, authorized to carry a gun and get a premium wage for the effort.
A general job interview appearance checklist might include (from the bottoms, up.):
- Shoes polished
- For men, dark sox over the calf so no skin shows For women, no runs in the hose
- Slacks or skirt are pressed and clean, ideally a dark color which says “stability” and a fine wool, silk or gaberdined, fine leather belt for slacks that matches the shoes
- Suit or jacket of high quality wool or silk (no polyester)
- Cotton or silk blouse or shirt clean and pressed
- Silk tie or scarf. (If interviewing with a man, wear a stripped tie or darker tie. If interviewing with a woman, wear a patterened tie and a brighter red. Studies show you’ll be percieved better.)
- Face clean, extraneous hairs removed, make up for women should be subtle (leave the paint for the discos) teeth brushed and even the tongue to prevent bad breath.
- Hair well groomed, conservative and up-to-date (Usually women are good about this but men over 30 tend not to change their hairstyle ever again. Look at top young executives in the magazines and see if your style is current.)
Voice and delivery are much harder to “fix” and may need some practice. For job interviews, before going into the interview, think of the kinds of questions the interviewer will ask. Tons of books are available on the subject and reading up about possible questions and responses looked for can greatly increase your chances for a successful interview and maybe even result in more money for you when you are hired.
Speak up with confidence and pause for a moment before speaking to collect your thoughts.
