Advice Centre

First Impressions

You only get one chance to make a first impression
tips on how to present at interview

Make sure your interview is not over before it starts. Geraldine Gault gives some light but candid advice on making - and maintaining - the right impression. Formally recruitment manager at a well known performance improvement agency, Geraldine is the Recruitment Advisor to one of the Thames Valley’s top design & marketing agencies. From first handshake to last she knows what she is looking for.

• Think about what you wear – it’s easy to distract with inappropriate clothes. Casual is never appropriate at first interview, even for creative jobs. And think about the little things – dirty/worn shoes may suggest that you are not good at attention to detail. Remember, interviewers are looking at a range of aspects – skill, personality, appearance, team and client fit.
• Shake hands firmly – ladies too. It should be palm-to-palm, not a quick touch of fingers. Remember, that handshake is the very first impression the interviewer has of you.
• Think about what your body language says – too relaxed a posture and you may across as casual, poor eye contact can make you seem shifty, and folded arms may be read as defensive.
• Think in advance about what questions you might be asked and be prepared for the tricky ones. Ask for time to consider a question if needed. Above all, be honest – some questions may be asked a second time but in a different way and interviewers are always looking for consistency. This particularly applies where there are several rounds of interview.
• Always look at the company’s website – prospective employers expect you to have done your homework. Read any case studies provided and think how your own experience might match these.
• Listen carefully to the questions and consider your answers. If you are given a scenario to consider, ask if you can make brief notes. Interviewers rely heavily on their notes, especially if they are seeing several candidates, so make sure your answers mark you out from the rest.
• Keep your answers concise and don’t ramble. Interviewers generally work to a timescale and interviews that run over have a knock-on effect.
• Prepare a list of questions to ask at the end of the interview but keep it short. Avoid phrases like ‘promotion prospects’ and opt for ‘continuous development’. Ambition is a good thing but interviewers can be put off if they feel you’re going to want promotion too soon after joining.
• Above all, be yourself. Nerves are normal and they get the adrenalin flowing. Good interviewers will take nerves into account and will try to put you at your ease at the outset.