Career Q & A
By Alan Kearns
Every interview I have seems to get off to a slow start. Once we get talking things go well, but I think that the interviewers sense my discomfort at the beginning. Any ideas for those first few minutes? I understand the principles of a firm handshake and maintaining eye contact. It's right after the introductions that things go downhill.
Creating a favourable first impression is as important as it's made out
to be. Most job seekers know that having a solid understanding of the organization,
the sector, and recent developments is vital information to have prior to
sitting down for an interview. Most people make the mistake, however, of
stopping the research there. I want to encourage you to dig a little deeper.
Find out who it is that you're going to be meeting with (if you don't know
them already). Will it be the direct hiring manager? Are you going to be
meeting with people from other departments? Is there a chance that you'll
sit down with a peer? Once you know who they are, see if you can uncover
any information about their interests, hobbies, or activities inside and
outside of the office.
I'm not suggesting that you should put a pipe in your mouth and don the
hat of your favourite sleuth, nor should you violate anyone's privacy or
personal life. There are very straightforward ways to find out about these
people. If you already know the person, great! You're two steps ahead of
everyone else. If you don't, speak with contacts you have in the organization
or in your industry who may be able to share some information about the
people you'll be meeting with. Scan through trade publications and papers
and conduct a few searches on the Internet for additional help. Look at
the organization's web site to see if they've included personnel profiles.
There are many ways to go about this.
So why am I suggesting that this is important? It all comes back to your
question of first impressions. If you discover any common ground or similar
points of interest that you share related to the profession, geographic
location (hometown perhaps) or personal interests, you're setting yourself
up for a great opening to the interview. This is a quick way to break the
ice and create a bond with the interviewer. It will help to set a positive
tone for the interview and will help you to stand out from the other candidates.
Trust me, this works. Take a few minutes before your next interview to research
more than just the organization. As the saying goes, you never get a second
chance to make a first impression!
Alan Kearns is the Head Coach and the Brand Champion! of CareerJoy.
He is one of Canada's foremost experts on all things career. With more than
14 years of experience coaching people through successful career changes,
he brings an intimate knowledge of the entire transition process to all of
his clients. To contact Alan about paid professional services, e-mail alan@careerjoy.com
or visit his web site www.careerjoy.com.
To submit a question for a future column, please e-mail it to careercoach@charityvillage.com. No identifying information will appear in this column.
