The Best Ways to Make the Worst First Impression When Interviewing
Want to making a good first impression? You only have a few split seconds to do so. Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink explores the psychological concept of how people gauge, stereotype and make judgements about others within the first seven seconds of initial interaction, and these perceptions often leave a lasting impression. This ideology is most commonly applied during the interviewing process, as employers make critical analyses of potential candidates and scrutinize their every move. When interviewing for a new role, those crucial moments can make or break whether the person assessing you will deem you worthy enough for the job. Let’s face it. There’s a laundry list of rules candidates are encouraged to follow in order to ace an interview, and that list continues to grow and change as the job market and hiring process evolves. Nonetheless, it’s important to make sure your best face is always showing. Here are some of the worst things that you can do when meeting an interviewer for the first time that can shatter any good perception of you in just seven short seconds.
Arriving Late...Or Even On Time
Punctuality has all but been physically drilled into the heads of every interviewee since the beginning of time, and it’s still an essential part of the interviewing process today. Your timeliness in showing up for an interview is like a precedent for employers to gauge your overall work behavior. Nowadays, it’s not satisfactory to just barely arrive on time, and it’s important to use the 15-minute early rule when planning out your arrival. No matter how casual or dismissive an employer may seem toward your tardiness, trust us, they care more than you could ever imagine.
Your Appearance is Disheveled
Although most candidates do their best to dress to impress, the attire requirements when interviewing have become a lot more lax over the years. Consequently, people aren’t making as much of an effort in their wardrobe choices as once before, and it can be a major deterrent. Although most companies no longer require or expect candidates to show up in a three-piece suit, it’s still important to make sure that you follow some standards in professional dress. Even if the company you’re interviewing with has a casual dress code, showing up in distressed jeans and a t-shirt may raised a few eyebrows. Furthermore, make sure that your appearance is tidy and neat. Interviewers pay attention to excessive wrinkles, holes and rips, stains and other things that can make your appearance unkempt.
Arriving With A Fresh Latte and Bagel In Hand
No matter how much you love and need your pumpkin spice latte and asiago bagel, leave them with the barista until after your interview is over. If the first thing an interviewer sees (or smells) in your hands when doing an initial once-over is a fresh pastry or a caramel macchiato with extra whip, it appears highly unflattering. It could also lead them to perceive you as careless, disorganized and even lacking the ability to make good judgement. Bringing food and drink to an interview is also both distracting and impolite. A bottle of water is acceptable, but leave everything else at home (or the cafe).
Being Completely Enamored With Your Phone While Waiting in the Lobby
It can be hard to put our phones away for a few moments, as they tend to be an extension of most of us, but it’s still fairly taboo to be engulfed in your mobile device—even if it’s right before your interview. When coming to greet you, interviewers want your undivided attention, and seeing you on your phone is a major turnoff. Take advantage of that awkward time while waiting to mentally disconnect from the digital world. Review interview notes or rehearse your response to common interview questions. Unless it’s urgent, save the texting for later, and NEVER take a call unless it’s an absolute emergency. Show that you can unplug for a few moments.