financial zen

It’s interesting that I’ve had the topic of first impressions come up a number of times recently. My wife often gets commented on her handshake (she’s a paramedic/firefighter, so she shakes a lot of guys hands, and being in a guy-dominated field, she shakes hard and firm). I talked over with my HR rep a couple times, and she’s mentioned how people will arrive for an interview in a suit and tie, and by half-way through they’re down to rolled up sleeves and no tie or jacket (we pride our company for being laid back at work - we’ve got a relaxed, cool atmosphere going on).

Having said that, I’d like to comment:

• Dress to impress: You’ve got to remember where you are interviewing at. Some places would love to see you in a suit and tie, and other places will see you as uptight. The position also determines.
• Look fit: People do look attractive people, but this is unrealistic. It’s like saying fat people will never be employed. I know plenty of “overweight” individuals that are excellent workers. It’s not being unhealthy, it’s portraying yourself as unhealthy. If you’re a big guy that has to interrupt so you can catch your breath after sitting down, people may look down at that.
• Give an impressive handshake: I know a guy who prides on messing with underlings by not allowing them a good handshake. Of course, he’s also a bit of a humorist.
• Focus on speaking: Speak effectively. Know who is interviewing you, so don’t drop techno jargon to non-techies. Also, don’t speak to them like they’re idiots either. Ask questions about their knowledge or get their background beforehand so you don’t end up looking like a fool to the HR guy who used to be a developer.
• Use the person’s name: This is useful. I was fortunate enough to get the business cards of everyone I interviewed with (some of whom had difficult names to spell accurately) and made sure to send a thank you to them for their time and drop their names when we spoke.
• Listen: This is important. Don’t just stare off or ignore them, actively listen and ask engaging questions to have them clarify.
• Shine the spotlight on them: I used this technique often. I interview the interviewer to show an interest in them, and get an insight into the company, the position, and the other interviewers.

There are a ton of resources, and it’s never really commons sense. Sometimes you need to read these things multiple times to make them stick until they become common-sense to you. I know it’s always helpful to revisit old topics to keep them fresh in my mind!