Posts Tagged ‘interview’

I love it!

When it comes to interviews, I have a strict “No Lying” policy. So when I read the recent article Should you ever lie in a job interview? on CNN, I thought it was worth sharing.

The gist of the piece is that while many people tend to distort the truth during job interviews, even minor fibs can get you fired. So, in order to help mitigate the risk of either losing the job or getting fired in your first few weeks, the author (Rachel Zupek) shares some tips on how to answer tough questions without lying.

There are many pearls of wisdom in here worth sharing. So I will just point to you to Should you ever lie in a job interview? so you can read it yourself.

Enjoy!

This one is easy. One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is to forget to sign your cover letter. It is such an easy thing to do, but it can completely derail your application if you don’t.

So your next question will most certainly be “why do I need to sign my cover letter if I’m submitting it electronically”? From my perspective, there is only one answer: professionalism.

For me, the biggest difference between formal communications and informal communications is the signature. When you are sending an informal message (usually via email) there are few options for attaching an actual signature. That is one of the reasons that email tends to be less formal.

However, you have likely spent more time on your cover letter than you will on any email that you will ever write. For this reason alone, it’s important to sign it so that it doesn’t get tarnished by a lack of professionalism.

So what are your options? Well, if you are submitting a hard copy of your resume, just make sure you sign your letter. However, if you are sending an electronic copy, you have two choices:

1. Sign a hard copy and create a PDF of your entire application package (there are many tools online that can create free PDF files).
2. Sign a blank piece of paper and scan it into your computer. Then, crop the image and paste it where your signature should go.

Either way, make sure that you sign your cover letter. It could make the difference between getting and not getting an interview.

It’s been said that in an interview, the employer will make up his mind within the first five minutes as to whether to hire you. If you have ever read Blink (which is a great book by Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point), you probably even have less time to make a great first impression.

This is where the Impression Equation comes in.

What is the Impression Equation? It is the formula that you need to follow for making a good first impression. It goes as follows:

Impression = Appearance + Attitude

In other words, the impression that you make on the employer will be your general appearance plus your attitude in the first five minutes. To break it down even further:

• Appearance: This doesn’t mean that you have to be naturally beautiful or handsome. It only means that you have to make an effort to look your best. Things such as professional attire, trimmed nails, and maintained hair are what count. You have to let your appearance show how much you want to the job, without trying to “give the wrong impression”, so to speak.

• Attitude: This is not what you say, this is how you act. Do you portray confidence? Do you smile? Do you make eye contact? Do you speak clearly? Do you gesture appropriately? All of these things make up how your attitude will be perceived by the employer.

Without either of these elements, you cannot make a good impression. So beyond just preparing for what you will say in the interview, make sure you address how you look and how you act. It will make an enormous difference in whether you land the job.