Perception – First Impressions Do Really Count
Think back to the first interview you had in your current job. Did you plan ahead for what you were going to wear? Did you get your CV/ portfolio printed ready for your interview? Did you try to find the office ahead of time? Did you look up your interviewer online? Based on your answers to these questions, I could form an impression of who you are as a candidate.
But would that perception be accurate? Would it match up with how you see yourself as an employee? And perception, of course, is a two-way street. You also formed impressions about your interviewer based on their appearance, clothes, organization, intelligence, and approachability. As a recruiter, I try to prepare both candidate and clients as much as possible prior to any interview, e.g. dress code, background of interviewer, environment, personal traits, interests etc. However the impression you make on the first meeting sets the tone for the rest of the recruitment process or employment in that company.
As we go through our daily lives we perceive all sorts of people and objects, and we often make sense of these perceptions by using previous experiences to help filter and organize the information we take in. Sometimes we encounter new or contradictory information that changes the way we think about a person, group, or object. The perceptions that we make of others and that others make of us affect how we communicate and act. When thinking about what to wear, how you enter a room, your handshake, ensure that is truly how you want to be perceived. People have already formed an opinion of you, and that’s ok, just ensure you are presenting yourself in the way that you would want to be perceived….
