First impressions count.
Knowing how to make a good first impression in a job interview can be the difference between success and failure.
In any job interview, the first few minutes – even the first few seconds – are vital.
If you make a bad start to a job interview this can knock your confidence and make you nervous.
This can be the start of slippery downhill slope from which it is difficult to recover.
But even if you manage to recover your composure and go on to perform well, a bad start will also impact the employer’s impression of you.
Get it wrong and you’re starting from a negative position. This makes it much harder to leave a great impression at the end of the interview
The importance of making a good first impression in a job interview
“You only ever get one chance to make a first impression.”
The diagram below illustrates why making a good first impression in an interview is so important:
This diagram highlights three different interviews for three candidates.
All three candidates are equal in terms of skills and qualifications, and all three put in equally good interview performances that progressively impress the employer throughout the duration of the interview.
The only difference between the three candidates is the first impression, made during the first few minutes of meeting the employer.