How to Make a Good Impression at an Interview

Interviews are extremely important in making that impression that could land you your first job or get you accepted into the top college of your choice. Not only do we have to be capable, independent, and resourceful, but the society we live in puts a lot of emphasis on how we look in public. Here are some tips on how to have the confidence to making a lasting impression in your interviewer's minds:

Make Eye Contact

Making eye contact is an extremely important part in making sure that you come across as a confident person. During an interview, someone who constantly fidgets and doesnt dare to look the interviewer in the eye is sure to not pass. One of the defining features is to make sure that you make eye contact, but don't put too much emphasis on it. Don't open your eyes wide and make an effort to stare them down. The interviewer just wants to know that you are sincerely fighting for the position they are interviewing you for; they want to know that you know what you are doing. As an interviewee, you need to be aware of the fact that whatever you say is also corresponding with your body language. Whatever you say will attract more attention if you are looking your interviewer in the eye. They want to give you attention and pay you the respect that you deserve. You need to reciprocate.

Avoid the Ahh, umm, uhh

Once again, during an interview you need to make sure you are confident in what you do. Having a lot of pauses filled with useless words such as ah, um, and uh will only distract the interviewer and give you a bad score. Before you interview, make sure you know what type of questions you will be asked, and also be ready to ask questions of your own. There is no better way to prepare than to do your research before and practice, pratice, practice. If you know what is going on like the back of your hand, there is no need to stall for time or look dumb.

Dress Clean

This is something everyone can accomplish, no matter how bad you are at one-to-one interviews or public speaking. Have a clean, crisp aura permeate the room sets the tone to how your interview will go. If you dress with class and look sharp, the interviewer will be pleased that you are showing him/her the respect that they deserve, and it will also make a person respect you more immediately. If you come into the interview looking worn out, dirty, crumpled, and unkempt, you will only distract the person who holds the key to your future. They will constantly be distracted by your disheveled appearance, and it will be a lasting thought in their minds, no matter how good you present yourself.

Smile

Just do it. Smiling provides the interviewer with a sense of comfort, and it may even do the same for you. Someone who is known to smile a lot makes the others around him feel at ease, and this is no different in an interview. Don't try to force it. They just want to know that you are here of your own accord, and that you sincerely want the position. The act of smiling has been studied for hundreds of years, and psychologists have come up with one answer: Smiling is the only universal expression that is understood by all. Many other cultures may not understand our way of frowning or crying, but everyone understands how to smile. It is a sign of happiness, sincerity, and caring. When your interviewer thinks of you, he will say, "That was the person who made me smile as well."

Firm Handshake and Dry Hands!

When some people get nervous, they start to sweat from their palms. This is rather unfortunate, as the standard greeting in American culture is to shake hands. It's a gauge of how confident a person is. Someone who has a firm strong handshake shows determination, confidence, and responsibility. Even if this may not be the case, it is an strong indicator of the correlation of attributes. Someone who has a warm, clammy, and floppy handshake seems to always be on the defensive. They seem to be the types that won't stand up for what they believe in; they seem to be the types to get frustrated easily and not take life seriously.

So make sure your handshake is firm and dry. You can always take steps to make sure your hands are less wet (comparatively) than they should be. Keep a handkerchief or tissue in your pocket, or go to the bathroom and wash your hands before you meet your interviewer. You can even wipe your palms on your pants. Just know that the handshake is the very first action that takes place, and it could conduct the whole direction of your interview.

Stop sucking up

Granted, you have to give your interviewer the respect he/she deserves, but don't suck up to them. If you come across an interviewer that wants gratuitous amounts of loving, then that's just bad luck, but most of the time they are only there for one thing: to know if you are fit for the job or not. They want to know who's best for the position being interviewed for, and they want you to emanate capability. They want to know that you can shoulder responsibility in the face of adversity and do what you need to do in order to further the company, be a great student, whatever. Someone who sucks up a lot comes across as a fake person. They are the type to do whatever they can to get the job, always cutting corners and not doing the correct thing which is to do whatever you do well. how would you respond if someone tried to compliment their way into a job? You know it's fake and that their words have no meaning - this is true for interviewers as well.

Be sincere and Thankful at the End

At the end of your interview, don't forget to thank your interviewer for giving you the time to present yourself. This is just a sign of respect that you understand that you were given an opportunity and that you sincerely made the most out of what you could. After you work out the logistics of the next meeting (or if you will meet at all) there will probably be another handshake so dry your hands.

Making a good impression at an interview is a whole array of things that need to be taken care of. Your appearance, your prescence, and your material. Although the most important thing is what you can bring to the table, you need to make sure that you as a person is presentable. Someone that everyone likes to be around and makes everyone comfortable is always a plus. Remember, your interviewer is human too.