Job Interviews: 10 Impressions You Leave Behind After an Interview

You work so hard preparing for your job interview – if you’re lucky enough to even get an interview in the first
place. Then finally the big interview day arrives – you do your best to make a good impression and before you
know it, your job interview is over! And there you are… stuck in the old waiting game wondering what are your
chances of getting a second interview and no idea what kind of impression you left behind.

Did I do as well as I could have? Did I make a good impression? Could I have answered my interview questions
better? What are they really thinking about me now that the interview is over?

Well…I can’t speak for everyone, but for me a job interview is kind of like tasting fine wine…there’s the initial
impression, the way it tastes while drinking, and the feeling you’re left with afterward. And it’s that very feeling
that can make all the difference as to whether you actually buy the wine…er…get the next interview and
eventually the job.  Too bold?  Too acidy? Not yet mature? Too mild-mannered?  Too complex? Not complex
enough? Not memorable at all? Or is it just the right blend of characteristics?

More Ways a Job Interview is Like Tasting Wine

Following up on my analogy, I found this excerpt about wine-tasting on Wikipedia.  Hah! With some obvious
differences, it kind of fits after all – especially the second part, which almost reads like job interview tips!

The results of the four recognized stages to wine tasting:

 appearance
 “in glass” the aroma of the wine
 “in mouth” sensations
 “finish” (aftertaste)

– are combined in order to establish the following properties of a wine:

 complexity and character

 potential (suitability for aging or drinking)
 possible faults

Complexity. Character. Potential (for the company). And possible faults. All possible things an interviewer
looks for. I couldn’t have written that better myself!

What kind of job interview impression do you leave behind?

In thinking about people I’ve interviewed and helped hire over the years, certain things about the candidates
stayed with us after the job interview and, in the end, these “aftertastes” strongly influenced whom we hired.
Based on that, I put together a list of things you might want to remember that will help determine the kind of
impression you leave:

Do you have good energy? That means good physical energy as well as conveying a positive way of looking at
things/approaching problems.

Were you present in the interview or always thinking ahead? Be present. Trust yourself.
What was your body language like? Did you sit up straight, meet my eyes when you spoke, and show
confidence in who you are and what you have to offer (with a minimal squirminess factor)?

Did you answer my job interview questions? It’s ok to steer your interview answers toward things you really
want to talk about to show the kind of employee you’ll be, but don’t forget to answer what was asked and not
stray too far afield!

Do I have a sense of who you are and how you’d be to work with? All else being equal, most employers
basically want to hire someone pleasant to work with – someone who will pitch in without being asked  & look
for solutions rather than merely pointing out problems or causing new ones.

Do I feel I can trust you? People think they need to lie in job interviews to get hired. Sometimes it works –
although most of the time not for long. But if you just do your best to be yourself and answer truthfully, you
have a better chance of leaving that all-important after interview impression of being trustworthy.

Are you flexible? I’ve interviewed folks who make it clear they have one way of doing things and don’t like
change. The one thing you can count on in the workplace is change and new challenges. Be open to learning
and growth. Mostly just be open.

Are you a resourceful self-starter? Are you able to find solutions and suggest new projects or ways to
improve things –  and not just waiting for someone to tell you what to do?

Are you likable? Already alluded to above, but so important to the whole job interview process it deserves its
own section. You have to be someone people actually want to work with. Hint: Know-it-alls and people who are
full of themselves (to try to prove how good they are) are not likable.

Did you leave me with some interesting stories that showed real-life work examples of things you
accomplished or problems you solved? A good strong story can have a positive long-lasting aftertaste.

Now I can’t tell you how to make all that happen in your interview. That’s up to you. And I can’t promise you if
you follow each and every one of my job interview tips, you’ll get the job. There still has to be a good match.

But while you’re worrying about how to always give the absolutely positively fabulously perfect job interview
answers to all job interview questions (no such thing, by the way), I want you to also remember this:  after an
interview, what is left behind is a whole-picture impression greater than the sum of your individual job
interview questions and answers.  And the more you can relax and be yourself in the interview, the more the
sum will be greater than the parts.

Some final job interview success tips for acing your interview

So with all that in mind, I want to leave you with a few final suggestions that summarize what you can do to
help yourself give the best interview possible:

 Be yourself and not some idea of who you’re supposed to be

 Keep your job interview answers focused and positive
 Show where you’ve made things happen in the past that benefited your employers
 Sit up and make good eye contact with all the interviewers
 Listen carefully and answer the actual job interview questions you’ve been asked
 Relax as best you can. (Try thinking of it as simply a good business meeting with colleagues you like
and respect.)
  Leave with a  smile, a handshake, and the same good energy you showed all along.  It’s the last
impression they have of you, so make it a positive one!

Leaving a Positive Impression on Your Interviewer

By Canadajobs.com Staff

Your resume impressed them and now you have a job interview. What can you do to leave your potential
employers with the best possible impression of you?

Arrive On Time:

One of the most important points of making a positive lasting impression is showing repsect to your potential
future employer by arriving for an interview early and on time.

Arriving a bit early (ten minutes is a good guideline) also allows you time to focus and gather your thoughts.

If you aren't sure where the interview is or how long it takes to get there, do a "test run" a few days ahead of
time. Remember to account for traffic, time to get ready, etc.

Arrive Prepared:

Would you want to give a job to someone who can't even be bothered to take the time to prepare for a job
interview? Not likely. Make sure you know what the company does, how they function, what industries they are
involved in, and what your job will be. Of course, some of the information about your potential new job may
only be presented at the interview, but more than likely, most of it will be available from the job description.
Make sure you have an answer to every requirement they have on the job description.

Be Confident:

You know you can do the job. Make sure they know. Showcase your skills in the best way you can by having
faith in yourself. This isn't the time to downplay your achievements. Without being arrogant, illustrate your
experience with things you've achieved at your past jobs. It's not enough to list your experience. Have examples
ready that describe your workplace achievements.

By displaying confidence, you also avoid the trap of appearing desperate. Desperation is not a trait that leaves a
positive impression on interviewers. They have a job that needs to be filled and they need to fill confident in
choosing the right person for the job.

Give them a reason to pick you by being properly dressed, projecting a confident image, and being prepared.

Don't Speak Badly of a Past Employer:

There are nice ways to say things and there are some not so nice ways. You have no idea what sort of
relationship your interviewer has with your past employer, if any. It's never a good idea to speak badly of a past
employer because your potential employer does not want to hire someone who displays disloyal behaviour,
regardless of what caused it. If you have to explain why you left a job, there are a variety of great reasons. Just
make sure you are truthful. Don't lie and say you quit when you were indeed fired because these things can be
easily verified. Instead, if you did quit your job, you can use phrases like "I wanted to seek out new
opportunities," "I wanted a new challenge," because essentially, that's what you wanted.

Be Friendly but Professional:

Given the choice between hiring someone who is friendly or someone who appeared stiff and standoffish, a
potential employer will most likely pick the friendly face. Leaving a good impression by being friendly, postive
and happy will go a long way towards the interviewer remembering who you were. Don't overdo it though
because being fake does not leave a good lasting impression. Be genuine and friendly.

Say Thank You:

After a job interview, send a thank you letter. Thank the person who conducted the interview and who arranged
for the interview. Remember to mention that you would be a good match for the job and that your skills reflect
what they are looking for (if they do, of course!) But remember, the point of a thank you letter is to thank them
for their time. Make sure that's the main focus of the letter.

Leaving a positive impression with a potential employer is more than just attending an interview and answering
questions. Being friendly, positive, arriving on time, and being prepared show your potential employer that you
care, you are considerate, and you respect their time. And those things leave a positive lasting impression.