Impressing your Interviewer is the first step to securing the job. And the sooner you do it, the better. Studies have shown that if you can impress the recruiter within the first ten minutes of the interview, your chances of landing the job increase exponentially.
However, it would be best to remember that you would compete against many other accomplished candidates vying for the same position. You will have to do more than prove that you have the technical acumen for the job.
By impressing the Interviewer within the first few minutes of the interview, you will find it easier to tackle the rest of the hiring process, which can be long.
Every interview round becomes more complex than the last and knowing that your Interviewer is impressed with you adds to your confidence.
It would be best if you concentrated on other areas of personal development besides working on your technical skills. A combination of your pleasing personality, emotional intelligence, and technological know-how will impress your recruiter enough to make them seriously consider offering you the position.
It is also essential not to be rash or overconfident during the interview. Be sure to maintain your professional decorum and be calm and composed. Staying calm in the face of a tense situation is the first step towards impressing your Interviewer.
Why Should You Work on Impressing Your Interviewer in the First Ten Minutes?
Impressing your Interviewer in the first ten minutes of the interview can help you make a lasting impression. This is very important to help you stand apart from the crowd. You will be the applicant who charmed them almost immediately.
Suppose your recruiters have been interviewing candidates for the better part of the day. In that case, they are bound to feel monotonous and tired by the second half of the day.
If your interview is scheduled for the second half, impressing your Interviewer becomes very important as you can help them break out of the monotony and take notice of you. This has a psychological impact; they are bound to remember the candidate with something different to offer.
You can be sure that your name will come up when they select the candidates for the next round.
After all, first impressions mean a lot, and you can only do something if your interviewers form a good impression. Hence, creating a favorable impression will be in your best interest.
How to Start Preparing to Impress Your Interviewer in the First Ten Minutes?
Worried about how to impress interviewer? Don’t be! You must make a mark before the end of the interview. If you want to impress your Interviewer in the first few minutes, you need to start preparing for it from the previous day. Here is what you can do.
1. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is healing and can reduce all your fatigue from the previous day. Go to bed early the previous night so you can have an optimum rest.
You will wake up refreshed and energized. That energy will be contagious when you step into the interview room, making others notice you. Avoid too much coffee or alcohol before going to bed the previous night.
2. Get Some Exercise
Although there is no need to get a rigorous workout on the morning of the interview, you can spend a few minutes moving around and getting some light exercise. Go for a walk or a light jog. Do some free-hand exercises or fifteen minutes of yoga.
The exercises will get your endorphins and other happy hormones, making you feel relaxed and helping reduce anxiety on the big day.
3. Nourish Yourself
Having a good and nutritious meal and plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated is essential if you want to be your best self. Eat a filling and healthy breakfast or lunch, including fruit juices or milk.
Remember that depending on the circumstances, you may have to commute a long distance or wait for quite some time before the interview.
You don’t want to feel irritable while waiting, and you will inadvertently end up creating a poor impression. Hence, feeling comfortable and nourished is essential for an interview.
4. Practice Your Interview Questions
Although you can only predict some of the questions your interview will ask you during the interview, you can practice some of the most common ones. Being prepared with your answers can help you answer them more confidently.
Work on how you phrase your responses, as that significantly impacts your interviewers. Think about your strengths and how you can convince them that you will overcome your weaknesses.
If these questions come up in the first ten minutes of the interview, you will surely ace them.
What Can You Do to Impress Your Interviewer in the First Ten Minutes?
You can take care of certain things if you want to impress your Interviewer in the first ten minutes. Here are some of them.
1. Dress Appropriately
Your appearance is the first thing your interviewers will notice about you, even before you say a word. Hence, when you walk into the room, ensure your interviewers are impressed.
Dress formally, but add a hint of personal style, like adding a pop of color. Be well groomed, and pay special attention to your shoes and hair.
2. Exude Confidence
One of the first things that your interviewers will notice about you is your confidence. Even if you are tense, you should not show it. Practice a firm handshake, and make sure your hands are clean and dry.
Smile while you speak and make eye contact with everyone on the panel. Work on your body language. Try to avoid sitting too rigidly, and refrain from showing excess movement with your hand gestures or head movements. Be calm, and that will automatically show you are comfortable.
3. Express Curiosity
Depending on what your interviewers ask you in the first ten minutes, you can also ask questions in return. You can prepare some questions beforehand and ask them during the interview when the opportunity arises.
Simply waiting for the Interviewer to ask questions can be tedious and will make the interview very conventional. If you want to make a mark within the first ten minutes, get the conversation going by asking intelligent questions.
It will show your recruiters that you are genuinely interested in the position and that you are a curious individual who always has a thirst for knowledge and is eager to learn more. Such qualities are always welcome in a candidate.
4. Be Punctual
One of the surest ways of impressing your interviewers is to be punctual for the interview. In fact, make sure you arrive ten or fifteen minutes early. Tardiness can put off hiring managers, and you don’t want that.
5. Demonstrate You are Inclusive
Employers worldwide are now trying to tap into the global talent pool and create more inclusive workplaces. If you can demonstrate that you can get along with everyone, then it will be a bonus.
Being open to working with and learning from everyone is a significant quality. It will show that you will be a team player and that talent and skills are more important to you than an individual’s background.
Doing your research on the company’s objective and work ethics can help you approach this aspect in a better way.
6. Show that You Like the Environment
You can show that you are comfortable with your surroundings through your body language, gestures, and tone of voice. If someone feels out of place in an environment, that shows.
You can make your employers feel that you feel comfortable in the office with the way you move and perceive your surroundings. These are subtle hints but can have a positive effect on your prospective employers.
7. Do Your Research
One of the best ways to impress your employers in the first ten minutes is to do your research.
Be it on the company, the position you are applying for, the industry you work in, and the latest technology that you are expected to work with- being well versed in every aspect of your job will make you come across as an informed person.
It will also show that you are genuinely interested in the position and passionate about the role, not merely looking for employment.
8. Bring Copies of Your Resume
Although you must have sent your resume when you applied for the job, it is still a good idea to carry multiple copies when you head for the interview. If there are quite a few people on the panel, not all of them may have your resume.
Having copies can help you circulate your resume and show you are particular about details.
9. Tell a Good Story
It is always a good idea to tell a good story if the question your interviewers ask allows you to do so.
For example, if they ask you about any experiences from your previous workplaces or an exciting incident you faced with a client, apply your storytelling techniques to talk about what happened.
A story never fails to enthrall the audience; talk about what you learned from the experience. A good story will always stay in their minds, and you may add a touch of humor, as that will also exude confidence.
What Should You Do After the First Ten Minutes are Over?
Although impressing the Interviewer in the first ten minutes of the interview can be a game changer, keep the momentum you built in the first minutes of the interview.
If you sail through the first ten minutes confidently, then chances are that you are well settled in the interview.
Carry with your positive approach, and keep answering the remaining questions with clarity.
Look for signs that show whether the interviewers are keen to carry on with the conversation. If you get a phone call saying that you are invited for the next rounds of the hiring process, then you know you performed well.
How Can I Leave a Lasting Impression on the Interviewer?
To leave a lasting impression on your Interviewer, you need to ask intelligent questions and reply with interesting answers.
It is important to show that you are well informed, but you should do so without being hasty. That will only make you look overbearing and impatient. Instead, take one question at a time but keep referring to other interesting topics and past events from which you have learned.
Nothing impresses an interviewer more than the fact that you are aware of what is going around you.
They know that although you are focused, you do not have tunnel vision, making you more receptive to new learning methods and strategies. They will consider this quality when they screen candidates for the next round.
Conclusion
You do not have to exert extra pressure to impress your Interviewer in the first ten minutes. It can be counterproductive.
The more you try, the worse it will be. Just focus on being yourself and try to bring out the best in you by answering the question with confidence and assurance.
You do not have to fake a smile, dress expensively or try to force humor in your conversations. Remember that interviewers come across several applicants every day, so they will instantly spot if you try to be someone you are not.
Instead, work on being a better and more interesting person by cultivating your mind, which will automatically help you impress your interviewers from the moment you walk into the room.
