Never mind polishing the resume. Work on the handshake. That's the conclusion of this research conducted by the University of Iowa's Department of the Blindingly Obvious.
"We've always heard that interviewers make up their mind about a person in the first two or three minutes of an interview, no matter how long the interview lasts," said study leader Greg Stewart, associate professor of management and organizations. "We found that the first impression begins with a handshake that sets the tone for the rest of the interview."
Other tips for job seekers gleaned from the study include:
Stash the breath mint before the interview begins; do not offer one to your host.
Wear socks that match, of course, but avoid putting your feet up on the interviewer's desk.
Blackberry and cell phone stay in your pocket -- yes, really.
And, at the conclusion of the interview, any damage done from a limp-wristed welcome handshake can be overcome with a light kiss on both cheeks.
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Bingo!
Right on, Paul! I was once on a hiring committee where an interviewee took a call from his girlfriend, during the interview - ouch!
Another don't:
And whatever you do, don't open a beer and offer it to the interviewer or ask them to hurry because you need to get another before you "lose your buzz."
We actually had that happen in our office in 2006. Made me question the sanity of the phone screener at the time, but the memory is priceless.
Have a nice day.
freecode
no way!
that actually happened? ;-)
great advice though.
More Interview Tips:
Do NOT pick your nose, or even put fingers near the nose...that should be common sense but you wouldn't believe how many times I've seen this happen.
-Keep your hands out of your pants as well...where do these people come from anyway?
Kissing is an affectionate
Kissing is an affectionate way of showing your passion for the industry you have chosen. I have often given and received kisses in interviews. I am now the CEO of a well known privately held company.
Kissing will work
The fact is, if you kiss the right person, you can not only get the job, but salary negotiations can drastically work in your favor. The negative potential impact of the author's kissing suggestion is far outweighed (overall after several interviews) with the potential $$$$ money and promotions to be had. The author is right on the money with this.
A kiss is the touching of
A kiss is the touching of one person's lips to another place, which is used as an expression of affection or to show respect, and as a greeting or a farewell; kissing can be used to express romantic affection or sexual desire. The word comes from Old English cyssan "to kiss", in turn from coss "a kiss". It is generally considered one of the strongest ways to show affection.
Whatever you do don't start
Whatever you do don't start talking about your recent seperation from your spouse two sentences into your interview. The info about the cops coming to your house, your (soon-to-be) ex taking money from your bank account, your daughter running away from home and the drug dealer she has as a boyfriend would probably not be suitable to talk to your potential boss about for a half hour when all they really wanted to know is if you can do the job for which you are interviewing.
More Tips
1. Most companies now value teamwork. If you are a person that knows each employee contributes to the bottom line of any company, this works in your favor. If you're not that person, learn to fake it.
I came in to my current company and was told to ask for a young lady. In the meantime, a young man casually dressed showed me into the conference room I was being interviewed in. We joked around a bit. He left and the first interview started.
I was genuine with her and it was a good thing.. she was the COO. Corporate culture is so important to her that she took the first interview.
The young man turned out to be my direct supervisor.
2. It's useless to claim experience on your resume that you don't have; not because you'll get caught but because you will look like a loser when you flounder and not someone that's learning the ropes.
3. Most companies have their own way of doing things. It is better to emphasize your quick learning curve than it is to demonstrate a rigid adherence to what you learned in your old company. That company apparently wasn't doing well enough to promote/retain you or you weren't good enough to stay.
Don't be like the New Yorker that moved to L.A. only to complain about how much better it is in N.Y.
4. Sales is about listening to a customer's needs and meeting them. Sell yourself the way you'd sell your product. Find out how they discovered the need for this position if it's a new position. Find out the errors the previous occupant made if it's a position they're refilling.
Then discuss the tools that you will bring to meet those needs. But:
5. If you're not a good fit for the position, tell them so. Tell them why you aren't a good fit for that position. They'll respect your integrity and the "we'll keep your resume on file" comment won't be prefunctory.