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First impression - Money FastTrack; successful job interview techniques - Brief Article

Men's Fitness, Feb, 2004 by Nate Millado

DON'T BLOW THAT JOB Work the interview and wind up working

First impressions can be deceiving. Take Richard Simmons. The man prances around in leotards, shrieking every time some fatso gets their sweat-on, but he's not really an idiot. Bottom line: Others make split-second judgments about you. And the impression you leave is never more important than on a job interview, where getting the gig or blowing it can hinge on something as trivial as a handshake or cockeyed glance. We've enlisted Valerie White, Ph.D., co-author of the book First Impressions, to make sure you get it right.

Keep it short.

If interviewers ask, "How are you?" give them the Cliffs Notes version. No one's really interested in a play-by-play of your day.

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Flattery gets you everywhere ...

... but keep it focused on their professional achievements. The difference between a compliment about their stature within the company and one about their body can mean the difference between a high-paying position and a restraining order.

Watch what you say about others.

Joking about how your bro is such a couch hound might leave the interviewer with the impression that you're lazy. Don't do it. Psychologists call it "trait transfer." We call it a one-way trip back to unemployment.

There's no hurry.

Most people are fast talkers, so slow down--otherwise you'll make others feel anxious or assaulted.

Share an embarrassing moment ...

... with a sense of humor. It puts interviewers at ease. Showing a little weakness, ironically, makes you come across as strong, confident, and human.

Don't talk temple.

Avoid "charged" topics like religion and politics, even if potential employers bring them up--they're land mines in conversations.

First impression - Money FastTrack; successful job interview techniques - Brief Article

Men's Fitness, Feb, 2004 by Nate Millado

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