Within the first 30 seconds of meeting someone new, we form an opinion about his or her attitude and confidence. It’s the way they carry themselves, the way they dress, the way they shake our hands — they all deliver a message about who they are. My gut feeling has been wrong a couple of times, but overall I’m batting well over .500 based on those initial impressions.
Attitude is a hard thing to measure, but I guarantee that you need it to get hired. It’s hard to define, but we all know it when we see it. Actually, animals are better at this than humans.
When I was in college there was a large German shepherd that lived down the street, and he enjoyed chasing me on my motorcycle. Of course, I could outrun him, but he would nip at my heels and chase me at least a block. My roommate had no fear of dogs, so I asked him to ride along and say hello to my new friend.
The next morning I gave my roommate a ride and just like clockwork here comes my good buddy. I tell David, “Watch out, here he comes.” The dog gets 20 feet from my bike and stops dead in his tracks. I even stopped the motorcycle and that dog wouldn’t come any closer. I looked at David’s face, and there was no fear. The dog knew it.
The first three minutes of any job interview are important: a sincere smile, a strong handshake and lots of confidence. Confidence alone won’t get you hired but a lack of it puts you at a significant disadvantage. It sets the tone for the conversation. It’s only human that we unintentionally begin to look for responses that support our initial impression. We do it on purpose, but in the back of our minds we’re thinking, “See, I had this gut feeling he wasn’t the one …”
Many of our physical attributes deliver a message. Are you dressed appropriately? If it’s a manual job there’s no need to wear a suit, but make sure what you wear is neat and clean. I know a manager who believes that if you didn’t take the time to polish your shoes or if your clothes aren’t clean, he won’t hire you.
The topic of dressing appropriately can be a sensitive issue, and it’s especially important for women. It sounds so obvious, but please don’t wear anything that is too tight or revealing. I’m sorry if I sound like an old prude, but a job interview isn’t the time or place to show off your fashion sense. Actually, it’s a time to show off your good sense and the message you want to deliver is this: I take my work seriously, and I’m here to get hired.
What else can you do physically to demonstrate your confidence? Shoulders back, head up and walk with confidence. Sit up in the chair, and there will be times when you should lean forward to emphasize your level of interest in the topic being discussed. Bring extra copies of your résumé and take notes. It’s a good idea to have extra copies of your references. Contact those references in advance so they’re not surprised if they get a phone call. This level of preparation shows me the attitude you will bring to the job.
This leads me to practice interviews. I encourage you to practice with a friend. There also are several websites with video interviewing to give you constructive feedback. Two are www.optimalinterviewing.com and www.honeit.com. I can’t overemphasize the importance of meaningful practice. I’ve seen too many people laugh and giggle during their practice sessions; that is not an effective strategy. If your goal is to build confidence and beat your competition, you need to take a serious attitude into your practice sessions.
My wife and I recently walked my daughter-in-law’s dog, and a neighbor’s large dog ran out of the driveway with a bad attitude. To my own surprise, I stepped between the dogs with a confident attitude and the attacking dog stopped in his tracks. My roommate would have been proud me and so was my wife.
Confidence makes a difference. People can see it and sense it. Taking the pre-interview process seriously will give you one-up on your competition. Even the smallest improvement can make a big difference. Remember: Smile, firm handshake and confidence.
Kaminski is president of Stone Associates Training. He is an HR consultant with 35 years of experience in the employment field, teaching managers the art of hiring great employees. He also is an adjunct instructor at Keuka College. You can contact him with your questions, suggestions and comments at bill@stoneassociatestraining.com.
