Make a Great First Impression

Searching for employment is one of the most nerve-racking activities to engage in. As if the direct need for income is not stressful enough, the process of writing a résumé, networking in your industry, and applying for jobs can leave anyone shaking in their tracks. Once you have hit the pavement and made a few contacts the phone calls should start coming in. With a little effort, hopefully a phone call could lead to an interview; which happens to be one of the most horrifying portions of career building. With the completion of a good interview, a job offer is just a step away. Here are few tips of turning any interview into a memorable experience for the Employer (and just might help you land the job!):

  • The Hand Shake: Extend your hand for a professional handshake as soon as possible. Practice with others to ensure a firm and confident handshake.
  • Hello!: Introduce yourself as a colleague of the interviewer. Always use your first and last name in a clear voice.
  • Smile: It sounds simple, but it is often forgotten in the unique interview situation. Confidence in yourself gleams from a natural smile.
  • Make eye contact: Don't stare, but be sure to look at the interviewer directly in the eyes.
  • Chill out!: Don't be nervous. Interviewers are people too. They feel comfortable with people that are comfortable with them. Awkward situations don't often end up in hire.
  • Uhhh?: Refrain from saying "uhh." It can be difficult but over thinking your responses can make you appear unprepared, or unconfident.


With a little luck and practice, a great job is just an interview away. However, even the best salesman in the world might be unable to convince an Employer. There are hundreds of factors making up the hiring process. Qualifications, salary requirements, relocation expenses, and even chemistry can make or break a candidate's chances of employment without even addressing the success of the interview. For more tips on career building and job-hunting, check out Vision-Résumé.com.

John Williamson is a Career Development specialist and spokesperson for Vision-Resume.com

In The News:


Unemployment rate steady at 6.1%
National Post, Canada - Sep 5, 2008
Gord Waldner/Saskatoon Star PhoenixDalton Charles visited the Careers and Employment Services office in August. Dalton has worked in the house building ...

UPDATE 1-Monster employment index rises in August
Reuters - Sep 4, 2008
O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), an online careers and recruiting firm, said its Employment Index rose 2 percentage points to 159 during the month. ...
Monster US online jobs index edges up in August Reuters
all 30 news articles

Ex-convicts struggling to find jobs
Rockford Register Star, IL - Sep 5, 2008
Careers etc. is offering a lifeline to Werle and hundreds of others like her in the county. The East State Street agency provides transitional employment to ...

Out of the inbox, into the dog box
New Zealand Herald, New Zealand - Sep 5, 2008
The Employment Relations Authority ruled later that he was unjustifiably dismissed, but he wasn't reinstated and his career lay in tatters. ...

Semi-retirement is no life of leisure
Financial Post, Canada - 20 hours ago
... advantages that go with self-employment. Taylor identifies seven "hot" semi-careers including: consulting, creative communications, full-time investing, ...

Canada's Government and Prince Edward Island Sign New Training and ...
MarketWatch - Sep 5, 2008
This will provide the Province with the flexibility to focus job training programs and employment supports on the local and regional needs of both employers ...

Graduate employment hunters 'happy to change jobs'
Women in Technology, UK - Sep 5, 2008
New graduates seeking employment are demanding to be challenged and are not content to remain with companies if they believe their careers are stagnating, ...

The Career Academy Story
Education Week News, MD - Sep 5, 2008
They showed significant positive effects for former students in terms of their employment and earnings eight years after high school. ...

Greenboro Chamber Job Expo
WXii 12.com, NC - Sep 5, 2008
Are you employed but looking for a new career? Need full-time or part-time employment? Then the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce has the event for you. ...

COORDINATOR/COUNSELOR
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Sep 4, 2008
DO-IT activities serve to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers. ...
careers employment - Google News


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