With the current state of the economy, many people are feeling insecure about their position within their organization. It’s not surprising since you can’t turn on the TV or open a newspaper without being hit with negative news about job losses, unemployment rates rising and companies making major layoffs to cut costs.
In this tough economic climate, there is hope … and there’s something you can do to give yourself an edge.
Every day I hear from PR practitioners who are looking to hire new staff about their worst interview experiences. I hear about candidates who blow simple opportunities by coming into the meeting with a bad attitude, have peculiar habits that distract the interviewer, they talk incessantly, or foolishly disclose that they “hate media relations!”
You what?!
Should you find yourself looking for new employment, there are things you can do to put yourself at the top of the list of candidates of companies or agencies that are looking to hire. Follow some simple advice on how to handle the interview process with ease and I guarantee you’ll make a great first impression which can help you rise to the top of the candidates applying for those elusive jobs.
Look, I know that interviews can be terrifying, but they are relatively predictable and with practice you can ace them.
Dress the part
Believe it or not, we do live in a society that judges others by the way they look. In the PR business, the interviewer will evaluate every candidate on whether they can be presented to clients and how they might perform in a corporate board room. Everyone has a story to tell about a candidate who came in looking completely unprofessional … whether from a plunging neckline, jewelry and make up that belong in a night club not a boardroom, or wearing jeans to a conservative “blue suit” position within an agency or a corporation.
Wear a suit to interviews. Polish your shoes. Rethink jewelry and tone it down (nose-rings may strike the interviewer the wrong way). Men: grab a razor … your three-day growth may look cool on the weekends, but not when making a first impression on your new boss, it simply looks sloppy. Women: make up is fine in moderation but avoid loud colours in favour of more natural shades (and this includes nail polish). Remember less is more.
If you dress for success, the interviewer will more easily see where you could fit in their organization.
So you’ve had a bad day …
We’ve all had our share of bad days, and some more than others. However, the interviewer does not want to hear about your ailing dog, the fight you had with your wife or girlfriend, the speeding ticket you got on the way to the interview, or even that a family member is suffering from a life threatening illness. When you walk into the lobby of your prospective employer, stow your baggage in the overhead compartment outside the door and focus. You need to concentrate on the interview and leave everything else behind. For that moment in time, nothing but making the best impression on your prospective employer should matter. “Smile!” …..as few people tend to do that seeing as they are fairly nervous.
Next time, more tips from the trenches on acing the interview.
Christian Hasse joined the recruitment firm Cramer & Co. – following more than a dozen years of senior public relations experience. His focus is on supporting searches in PR, Communications, Investor Relations, and Public Affairs, and building on his background in journalism and sports PR. He is also an industry guest speaker at various educational institutions and CPRS events.
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