HowtoMakeaGoodImpressionDuringJobInterviews(byWorkBloom) 　　Whengoingtoaninterview,itisimportanttohavetherightstateofmindandtofocusonwhatisimportant.Thethingthatisthemostimportantwhenattendinganinterviewisnothowyouanswerquestions.Itistheimpressionthatyouleavebehind.Thatbeingsaid,answeringquestions"correctly"willofcourseimpactonthatimpression.Theword"correctly"wasputinquotesbecausetherearenoperfectanswerstoquestions,althoughtherearewronganswers. 　　Putthingsinperspective.Bythetimeyouarecalledforaninterview,theemployerwillalreadyhavegonethroughyourresumeandcoverletter.Heorsheknowsthebasicsaboutyou:yourbackground,yourworkexperience,yourgeneralinterests,whyyouwanttojointheorganization,etc.Whatevertheemployerknowsuptothatpoint,however,isonlyone-sided.Theemployeronlyknowswhatyouhavedecidedtoreveal.Basedontheinformationthatyouhaveprovided,however,heorshedecidedthatyouwere"worthy"ofameeting.Thisistheemployer'swaytoshowanopenmind."Here'syourchance"heorsheissaying."Showmewhatyou'vegot"or"provetomethatyouareasgoodasyoupretendtobe." 　　Thisispartlyhowthestressbuildsup.Youarestartingtofeelthepressureto"impress."Knowingthatothercandidateshavealsobeencalledforaninterview,youfeelevenmorepressure.Thisiswhereyourealizethattheapplicationprocessinanensemble.Everythinghastofittogether.Yourresumeandyourcoverletterhavetoimpress,yettrulyreflectwhoyouaresothatwhenyoushowuponInterviewDay,youcanbeyourself.(TipsonhowtohandlestressduringjobinterviewscanbefoundinanotherarticleonWorkBloom.) 　　Thefirstthingaboutmakingagoodimpressionistobepositive.Ifyouarenegativeandover-worry,thatwillshow.Conditionyourmindtobepositiveandoptimisticaboutyourfuturesothatwhenyouseetheinterviewerforthefirsttimeasheorshewalkstowardsyou,thatsmilethatisonyourfaceissincere. 　　Firstimpressionsmatter.Why?Becausetheycreatebiases.Ifyoumakeabadimpressionupfront,youwillhavetocombatthatbias.It'slikerunninguphill.Ontheotherhand,ifyoumakeagoodimpression,youcanrideonit.It'slikerunningdownhill.Thatbeingsaid,makesuretodressprofessionally,smile,giveafirmhandshake,andintroduceyourselfproperly.Howtodressproperlyforaninterviewisdiscussedinfurtherdetailinthe"InterviewAttire"sectionofWorkBloom. 　　Astheinterviewerwalksyoutotheinterviewroom,heorshemightaskyouafewquestionsabouttheweatherorhowyougotthere...somesmalltalktoputyouatease.Acceptthe"invitation"andrelax. 　　Astheinterview"formally"starts,makesuretorememberthatinterviewingisa"communicationprocess."Thismeansthatyouhavetobe"clear"whenyoutalk.Clarityentailsthatyou"speakclearly"and"answerclearly."Speakingclearlymeansthatyouhavetospeakloudenoughandpronounceyourwordswellenoughsothatyouarewellunderstood.Thinkofnewsanchorsandhowtheyspeak.Answeringclearlymeansthatyouhavetosatisfywhateverwasonthemindoftheinterviewerwhenheorsheaskedyouthequestion.Inordertodothatyouhavetopracticeyourlisteningskills.Yes,listeningispartofcommunicating.Ifyouarenotsurewhatwasasked,asktheinterviewertorepeathimselfor,evenbetter,rephrasethequestioninyo