First impressions are not only the first impressions you make but in

many aspects, the only and can be critical when it comes to foreshadowing
relationship success within a formal relationship. An impression itself is a
strong effect produced (Webster, 2015). Therefore if you are producing a
strong/lasting effect on someone you want to ensure that it is positive. And
you can! Most bad impressions made at the beginning of formal relationships
surprisingly are made from people trying to hard to make a good impression!
One of the biggest but conveniently easiest conditions of an impression
to correct being body language. Body language can be passive and
submissive or assertive. When entering into an interview or meeting your
employer for the first time you want to immediately exhume confidence.
While also not being overbearing. My honest advice is to go into the
interview understanding and being confident in the fact that you could
certainly get the job but you may not as well. If you understand this, you will
not let it overwhelm you.
Eye contact is a great way to show youre attentive and not
intimidated. While eye contact is an enhancer it is also mandatory. You have
to look your employer in the eye while you speak and while they address
you. Once invited in or to sit down pick a seat that is closest to the employer
(right in front, side). But monitor your spacing because you do not want to
invade anybody in the rooms personal space further making your impression
negative. As you are talking to the employer or being interviewed for the first
time, use good posture and linguistic skills. The tone of the interview should

remain conversational. It is very responsible and smart to say the least to

google search or ask other employers a few sample interview questions and
have your answers prepared. Uhms will never go unnoticed and too many
can stand to end a conversation or interview. The best way to present well
flowing and appropriate answers is to be honest! Remember you want the
job to fit you as well as you want to fit the description of the job. The more
honest you are, the more an employer can tell if you are fit for the position.
Monitor your tone as well, employers notice pitch and tone change. Not only
is this an indication that your nervous but it can also give the message that
you are lying! Nobody wants to be remembered as the person that came to
the interview full of textbook answers.
Be knowledgeable of what youre doing as you get nervous. Folding
arms, fidgeting, not keeping both feet on the group and stuttering are all
ways to let an employer know that you have potential to crack in a situation
involving a lot of pressure. Depending on what type of profession you are
going in handling tough situations may be vital in your skill set to complete
the job so show them that if anything you can handle a interview! Standing
straight up and looking dead at an individual gives them the impression that
are you organized, well-kept and confident!
Im sure you thinking youve got body language down packed. Be
confident, eye contact and speak fluently. This is true, that is the basis. But
theres more! This is where it gets interesting. While body language is
probably the biggest impact on your first impression there are many more

factors that make up the other half of the impression. So remember to think
about what youre not doing and say what you wouldnt say! Be yourself.
You may have high expectations for the outcome of this meet and
greet per say, which you should. Remember you want to be what the
employer is looking for but you also want the job to be a fit for you as well.
Employers expect you to walk in clean cut, well dressed, clothes pressed and
with a positive attitude. They do not expect you to be confident, or verbally
well rounded. In order to defeat this expectation, simply, be confident! Being
confident will speak for itself, and it will be present in your demeanor
therefore being verbally well rounded and having an idea about what you
want and what you are going to say will not be as stressful.
High expectations can also, unfortunately, be your downfall as well. An
applicant with amazing potential can still be denied the position. So, dont
have the attitude that youre a shoe-in or that youre overqualified.
Because, if you are, although this is a plus it can also give the employer that
the applicant has a false sense of authority and entitlement which can be a
turn off. So focus on your strengths that will be emphasized by the job your
applying for. Remember, you not only want to be a good fit for them but you
want them to be a good fit for you as well.
Speaking of overqualified applicants, you may not be as
overqualified as you think. During the hiring process, you can have a long
detailed list of skills but employers want more than that! They want real

people, not robots. The interview process is where you want to make a good
first impression to weed out any generic or technical traits and pre
conceived notions the employer may already have of you. The employer will
have already thoroughly reviewed your resume and application and possibly
references before hand as well. So, when you are being interviewed
remember to answer honestly, truthfully and thoroughly. A good interviewer
will remain conversational but for the most part presume a poker face so
do not expect any reactions to your answers. Even if you tell them you can
tie one hundred pairs of shoes at once or if you tell them you can work fast
but when you work fast you lose the higher quality of your work you will
probably get the same response so you might as well do it right the first
time.
As you can see communication is limited during the hiring and first
impression stages so you want to maximize on appropriate communication
skills. Which, also, are mainly prominent during the interview. Questions that
provoke negative reactions will cause you to blush, look away, hesitate, etc.
These reactions are noticed! Questions that provoke these reactions are
asked on purpose, especially if you have red flags before the interview. Red
flags before the interview can include leaving a previous job without
adequate notice, bad references, arriving late and these are all detrimental
to your first impression.
But remember, first impressions do not have to always be person
specific, they can be mutual as well! If the employer is offering you a good

first impression by being prompt, well dressed, making eye contact and
smiling than return the favor! Show them you want to have a good first
impression on them as well. This goes with the entire hiring process, make
positive professional matters mutual. How the greet you should show you
how to greet them, be conscious of this because how you greet them gives
employers huge insight into how you communicate with people. Dont stop
there, keep the good attitude from the time you walk in the door. It would be
awful to have an amazing interview just for the receptions to be able to
report off to the employer how bad of an attitude you had and how little you
were willing to cooperate.

This is an outside factor that people do not consider. Outside factors

are the most popular aspects of the hiring process and first impressions.
These are the most popular because they are the most debated. These
issues includes instances of (tattoos, piercings, (visible of course) cologne,
social media, etc.) My favorite is tattoos! The generation prepping
themselves for the workforce now, my personal generation, is more
fascinated and involved with the world of body art than any before. Tattoos
are widely accepted in society on any part of the body but do the same
standards apply in the conservative business friendly workforce? NO!
Surprisingly, many people tend to believe that employers are becoming more
open minded and lenient towards tattoos but this is not the case. Unless, you

1 Switt, J. T. (July 01, 2008). Hiring the Right Person the First Time: Tips on
Conducting a Job Interview. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 108, 7.)

are applying to be a tattoo artist or piercer than why not display your talent,
otherwise, let this be one aspect of your life that is not broadcasted bodly.
Typically, if you have tattoo but it is not visible with your professional
dress or work uniform on then you do not have to discuss it. But if you have
a large tattoo on your neck or face or somewhere undeniable this can create
a very bad first impression. As creative as you may feel your tattoo is your
perception of it may not be the same as the employers. Also it will take all of
their focus off of you and your credentials, not only will it be the first thing
they notice but it can also be the last thing they remember. Studies have
shown that it is indeed true employers are less likely to hire someone with a
visible tattoo. Studies have also shown that people automatically and
unconsciously assume things about the personality of people with visible
tattoos and these are not positive assumptions either. This information was
published in 2008 which isnt very current for a generation with a growing
demand for tattoos. So I wondered does this source even know what their
talking about? Well, it comes from the psychology department at MTSU
(Middle Tennessee State University). As I began my research into the inquires
of first impressions and the job hiring process correlations I looked for studies
done by psychologist. Because this does seem like an issues revolving
around ethical and mental issues but all I could find was employer/employee
testimony and statistics. Then I came across the study done by MTSU. Not
only did it address the psychological level of impressions tattoos give but the
political one as well that affects the interview process. But what makes this

right just because it is from a psychology department? This institutions peer

institution that it can be ranked alongside includes the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte! So, if thats not enough, then you can always be your
own tattoo artist and have as many tattoos at any interview you want.
Piercings basically have the same concept. Only tattoos make people look at
you as more rebellious, adventurous, creative and outspoken, piercings can
make you seem more unfit and immature so in a sense, unnatural piercings
such as earrings are worse than showing tattoos.
Of course you can consider this as not fair, but everything has
boundaries. Including professional standards. If you do not agree with the
standards being held at an institution than maybe that job is not fit for you!
Dont be the applicant that files the discrimination case that will ultimately
loose! The law says that if employers have stated in the description/manual
that they do not allow certain things that than do not have to allow it or
change it this goes for tattoos and piercings. Even if you are not the type to
go that far, a simple status posted on your social media account venting to
your two thousand followers about how your prospective employer does not
allow tattoos can ruin any chances you may have had as well. Everybody
knows that employers can check your Facebook or Instagram. But a lot of
employers will not dig as deep as to have a detective unlock a private
account when a simple google search of your name will reveal more than you
may expect. Pictures or posts that you thought you may have deleted may
still pop up under a google search of your name. So keep what you put on

the internet decent! Indecent liberties and gestures can stop you from ever
even getting a call back lead a long consideration for a position.
Overall, you have to watch what you do before during and after you
meet someone because at all times are you contributing to your first
impression. As a prospective employee you must step outside of your role
and keep into consideration how you would want to perceive your employee
if you were the employer.