Projecting Confidence In An Interview Situation

You have no doubt heard the saying about first impressions. If you are job hunting, this may make your stress level jump exponentially. You send in a resume with a cover letter that could make or break your chances to get an interview. You answer a job listing with an online response and a skills resume that could come across as too weak or too long or too anything other than what the employer is looking for in a new hire. But most of all, when you walk in the room to meet your potential employer, you could make or break that first impression instantly.

Now, do not let this scare you off from trying. Plenty of people make bad first impressions and turn the situation around only to recover their good standing and get the job. However, the more you can do to instill the right impression on your interviewer from the start, the better your chances for having a successful interview. This is not just because the first impression could color what the person thinks of you, but it could also color what you think of yourself.

For example, if you walk into the employer's office and stick out your hand to shake, but you shake too firmly for the person, you may make a poor first impression that you are not even aware of. This could color the person's opinion of you and make them think you are too forceful or nervous. But if you walk into the office and trip over the rug, the first impression that is in jeopardy is your own. Everyone falls from time to time, and chances are that your interviewer will laugh with you rather than hold it against you. But your self-confidence might be shaken just enough to affect the answers you give and the way you communicate for the next half hour.

So to make a good first impression and project confidence at your interview, try these tips:

• Dress appropriately. This may seem like a simple thing, but you would be surprised at some of the things people wear to interviews. Men should wear a suit and tie with appropriate dress shoes. Be sure they are not too slick on the bottoms. Women should wear either a suit or a blouse with pants or skirt. Always wear hose if your legs are showing and do not wear too high of a heel. Keep the jewelry and the makeup to a minimum.
• Smile. When you first see your employer, give them a nice friendly smile. Not one that says you are desperate or false, but one that says you are looking forward to this conversation.
• Shake hands. This part can make some people nervous, as everyone has a slightly different idea of what makes a good handshake. But overall, be firm but do not squeeze too hard. Practice on people you know, both men and women to get their responses.
• Look them in the eye. This applies to the first impression when you are smiling and shaking hands, as well as to the rest of the interview. When you answer questions, show your confidence in your answers by looking at the interviewer and not darting your eyes around the room.
• Control your body language. To show that you are comfortable speaking with people, do not fidget or bounce your knee around. Lean forward a bit to show your interest in what the interviewer is saying.
• Be short and to the point. If you are confident in your ability to do the job, there is no need to ramble on about your skills or your work history. Answer questions directly and allow the interviewer to ask any follow up questions for clarification.

Overall, a straightforward and respectful attitude will project the right impression at an interview. Remember that the more confident you feel about yourself, the more confident you will appear to others.

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