First Impressions Matter

Whether your are wanting to make a good first impression or want to leave a lasting one, how you present yourself at a job interview from the moment you walk into the building counts. Here at Sprint People we are lucky enough to meet fabulous candidate’s day in, day out. Amazing candidates that present themselves with bundles of confidence and personality, showing huge amounts of enthusiasm for their job search and looking fabulous while they do it. How a candidate presents themselves from the moment they walk in to our office matters and is often what sets them apart.

After being in the recruitment industry for a few years now and dealing with a variety of candidates and clients, here are a few pearls of wisdom on how to present yourself in interviews. Whether the recruiter, the hiring manager or anyone in between, people will always notice.

THONGS ARE A FIRM NO

• Thongs, flip-flops, jandals. Whatever you call them, don’t. Just don’t do it. I literally cannot think of a client that is actively seeking candidates who wear the new Haviana’s. No matter how nice your pedicure is. EVEN if you got the special glitter polish. Even with the most casual client, thongs are never acceptable. A smart pair of flats or a pair of court shoes are always a great option.

PACK AWAY THE HOLIDAY CLOTHES

• With an ever-growing temp desk here at Sprint we meet lots of candidates who have only recently touched down in the land down under. I completely get it, backpacking is a nightmare, you never have enough room, everything is creased and it’s heavy (SO heavy) but make sure you pack one smart outfit for interviews. Turning up for an interview with your recruiter in a sundress and bumbag just doesn’t work. Packing a smart pair of trousers and crisp shirt is hugely advantageous and ensures you are a cut above the rest in a candidate heavy market. Failing that there is always K Mart, H&M, Zara. There are plenty of places to get smart and fashionable interview clothes on a backpacker’s budget in Sydney.

STICK TO THE WATER YOU’RE OFFERED

• How good is the coffee here in Sydney? So yum. Here at Sprint People we are always a fan of a mocha on Friday and we know our candidates are too. That being said it’s not advisable to bring said coffee to an interview. Don’t get me wrong, it’s certainly not the be all and end all but it does make you look that tiny bit less professional if you are slurping away on your almond milk, skinny, spiced latte through the interview. We are very generous here at Sprint and will always provide you refreshments, complimentary of course!

UNPLUG

• Earphones. Nope. Walking up to a reception desk with Arianna blaring is not a good look. Even worse, is that you can’t hear what the receptionist is saying to you. As soon as you get into the building, get prepared to greet the front of house staff in a warm, charming and professional way. Front of house staff are the eyes and ears of the business so you best believe the hiring manager will be getting their feedback. As always, first impression is so, so important.

PACK AWAY YOUR PHONE

• Much the same as with your earphones your phone should always be on silent, not vibrate, in your bag. Leaving your phone on the table or in your lap indicates to the interviewer that your focus is not on them and to a certain extent, shows a lack of respect. You want to keep your eyes on the prize which in this case, is the interviewer and the job – not your new IPhone super duper 10+. The same goes for when you are waiting to be seen by the interviewer, don’t go on your phone then either. The interviewer seeing you peruse insta as they approach the room is always an awkward intro.

The above may not sound that integral, but after meeting 1000’s of candidates I can tell you that these things do not go unnoticed. People, interviewers included, remember not what you said but how you made them feel. So that being said if you rush in with a coffee humming Adele, you won’t be leading the most successful first impression. Being well presented, polite, on time and feeling good will always result in a better and more successful interview and hopefully… a new job!