It’s a tired, old saying but it’s still true – “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”
Psychology Today reports that people shown 20 second video segments formed similar opinions about job applicants as those shown 20 minute video segments of the same applicants.
It’s just a fact – employers are sizing you up and they are doing it very quickly!
So this week, we offer up a quick checklist of eight ways you can either strengthen or r
uin your first impression in a dental hygiene job interview.
Demeanor
Figure out what it is that helps you really relax (preferably something that doesn’t alter your mind chemically) and get into that relaxed mode before you arrive for an interview. I say music is a great one – it can make bad traffic and outside temperatures seem like nothing on the car ride over.
Conversation
I would seriously practice your pacing, how long you take to answer questions, and your choice of words. I’ve seen people bomb an interview the second they open their mouth by saying something that while not necessarily offensive, is just not as refined or professional. Or maybe they get a little too nervous and dominate (say too much) responding to a simple “Hello, how are you today?”
Eye contact
This can be very difficult for some. But there are some simple tips you can try if you are one of those – such as looking slightly above or below their eyes. My best advice is to move your eyes around comfortably when you are talking, not focusing for more than a few seconds at a time on the interviewer. But when the interviewer is talking, try really hard to maintain that eye contact to show you are listening.
Smile
I know I’m preaching to the choir here so I’ll keep it short – practice what you preach. Smile a lot in your interview. It’s easy for some to get too focused and forget to do this – but it really shows a lot when you smile a lot.
Personal hygiene
Most dental hygienists I have met and interviewed are very much in-tune with this area. So it’s mostly just a quick reminder to make sure the levels of your perfumes and such are good and not overwhelming. It would be better to not smell them at all than to smell someone that has over-done it.
Grooming/dress
We’ve talked about this in past posts. Look your best – business casual can be acceptable by some, but business professional is the way to stand out. Click here to read more about this.
Firm handshake
For men, a firm handshake is an absolute. For women , it’s important too. But I guess some of the advice here is to make sure your handshake is neither a death grip or nor a wimpy clasp – find the medium and go with it. If you care to read more, click here to read a good article on it.
Posture
Good posture exudes confidence and stability – both attributes employers want in an employee. Check yours out and practice. Sit on the edge of your seat when being interviewed as this tends to force or more correct pose and shows you are interested and engaged.
