1. Introduction
Making a first
impression is a part of everyone’s daily life. It takes a quick glance for
people to evaluate one another when they meet for the first time. This is
heavily based on appearance, body language, demeanour, mannerisms and how one
is dressed. This opinion formed may be irreversible unless the person who had
created that impression is given the opportunity to reverse it and to give the benefit
of the doubt.
A survey
conducted which reflects on the unemployment of fresh graduates in Singapore (Lee, 2016) , demonstrates
that this is a critical issue growing in the society. Furthermore, the
cautiousness of employers in their hiring process has been raised. To prevent
further growth in unemployment rate, it is advisable for job candidates to
perform well during interviews by portraying positive first impressions. Tracy (n.d.)
mentioned that dress appearance is responsible for 95 percent of the first
impression that someone can make as it covers 95 percent of one’s body.
It is ultimately how one presents him or herself that will eventually
affect the course of the relationship with the other party.
The objective of this study is to better understand the importance and
ways in creating a positive first impression during a job interview in the
hospitality industry. The team is also limiting it to a setting at a workplace
interview. It will serve as a guide for university students to follow up when
they are interviewing for a job in the future.
2. Research
Method
The team
analysis will be referenced and based on both primary and secondary research
data to support the judgements and findings with regards to creating positive
first impressions during job interviews.
2.1 Primary research
The team
conducted an interview with Ms Janice Lim, a recruitment consultant from
Recruit Express. With more than 3 years of experience in the firm, she has
interviewed candidates for a variety of jobs in different industries and
witnessed many types of interview behaviours of prospect employees.
Janice
constantly emphasized on the importance of creating a positive first impression
and how it relates to higher probability of job offers. She added that a
candidate who portrays good attitude and positive nonverbal gestures during job
screenings or interviews stands a higher chance of securing the position.
Recruiters who developed good impression on their candidates may help to add
words of affirmation to their clients during the shortlisting process. Having
to recruit and interview different people on a daily basis, Janice shared with
the team about one of her encounter with a lady who is applying for a business
admin position.
The lady had a
pleasant voice when Janice confirmed the interview details over the phone.
However, the positive impression did not last. She came to the interview in a
sleeveless top, revealing a tattoo-filled arm. A word of advice from Janice is
to portray a constant positive impression and be dressed appropriately for the
interview. In the event where the candidate has visible tattoos, it is advised
to cover up that area. Janice concluded that dress code and physical appearance
is one of the determinant factors for success during interviews.
As a former
employee under one of the recruitment team in Recruit Express, Jocelyn
concurred with this. The 6
months’ experience in recruitment sector had allowed Jocelyn to see a variety
candidates with improper interview attire and these candidates did not receive
any job offers.
2.2 Secondary
Research
Articles and
findings on various websites such as popular news engines and recruitment firms
also supported this research. Monster, a worldwide recruitment platform
highlighted that first impression impacts the way interviewers judge the
candidate for a period of time. The judgment will be magnified especially during
interviews since it is a significant stage for employers to select the most
suitable employees for their organization.
According to an article written by the professional training and development speaker, Brian Tracy a survey was done on a group of hiring managers and three-quarter of the managers agreed that first impressions are critical in determining the success of job interviews. Managers usually make their hiring decision during the first 30 seconds of the job interview. Therefore, candidates should be highly aware of their gestures during the first meeting with employers as it can either make or break the hiring decision of employers.
3.
Problem Identification
Among the different
situations where first impression impacts an individual, the team decided to
address and emphasize on creating positive first impression during job
interviews. This is a relevant situation as job interviews will be a gateway
for graduating university students to clinch their first work opportunity in
the hospitality industry.
3.1 Unprofessional
Dress Codes for Interviews
The most un-sightly scene
for an interviewer would be meeting an unprofessionally dressed candidate. This
candidate may turn up in a casual blouse and three-quarter pants. This image
reflects badly on the candidate and can be implied as uninterested for the position.
The way a candidate dresses determines their personality and sincerity. As
mentioned previously, 95 percent of first impressions are created by the dress
codes, hence dressing appropriately, in a professional manner is highly
recommended.
3.2 Behaviours at
the Holding Area
Behaviours and postures are
ways of communications without words yet they have strong impact on affecting
the other party’s perception of an individual. Rowdy and over-reactive
behaviours as well as poor postures might be deemed as unacceptable when a
candidate is undergoing an interview. For instance, a female candidate is
slouching and playing game on her mobile phone while waiting at the holding
area. This gives a negative impression to employers or future colleagues, portraying
her insincerity for the interview.
3.3 Behaviours
during Interview
Interview is the most
crucial moment for a candidate. The interviewers will usually observe the
candidate from the moment he or she enters the room and the interactions that
follows through. Some candidates would trudge into the interview room and take
a seat without offering a handshake. Canada largest career portal, Workopolis, highlighted
that a nervous facial expression or unclear thoughts can ruin any interview. Interviewers may perceive that the candidate lacked
preparation.
Candidates are expected to
be expressive and provide detailed and professional response during the interview.
Interviews usually comprise of a handful of challenging scenarios posed for
candidates to assess their analytical and problem-solving skills. In some
cases, a candidate may provide sub-standard response without answering the
questions or analyse the problems. Interviewers may get irritated when
insincere candidates do not take interviews seriously.
3.4 Behaviours at
the end of interview
A positive start to an
interview is important, similarly, ending it well is crucial too. Following the
end of the interview, candidates are expected to pose relevant questions or to
express their interest to the interviewers. However, some candidates might ask
irrelevant questions and exit the interview without a proper handshake and farewell.
Therefore, it is crucial to end the interview in the right note, providing a
firm handshake and attempt to follow-up with the interviewer.
4. Solution:
Guide to create positive first impression
This
section provides a series of solutions which will be put in action in the
team’s training video guide. The aim is to guide all potential candidates on
the ways to create good impression during job interviews.
4.1 Pre-Interview
4.1.1 Physical
Appearance
It is important to dress in
a conservative manner but that does not mean dressing in a boring manner.
“Don’t think so fashionable, think more conservative,” Tomazin says. Candidates
should stick with the basics with matching colours. It is crucial to avoid
wearing extremely tight or revealing outfit for interviews. According to
Workopolis, candidates are advised to dress appropriately to suit the company
and the job applied. As for footwear,
candidates have to avoid sandals or open-toe wear.
Candidates should avoid fancy
hairstyles for their job interviews. Based on The Balance article relating to
hairstyles for interview, the author mentioned that there are different ways to
style the hair professionally. However, the hairstyle should match with outfit
and makeup. Generally, the type of hairstyle adopted should look professional
and suitable for the candidate.
4.1.2 Personality
and Gestures
Prior to the interview, the candidate should portray pleasant personality
and friendliness to the employees. Though they are in the waiting area, postures
and behaviours may be seen by prospective colleagues and even employers. As
this area is often neglected by the candidates, this aspect is included in the
training video to highlight the importance.
4.2 During the interview
This is the
most crucial part of the whole interview process as the candidates meet their
prospective employers for the first time. It is extremely important that candidates
express passion and sincerity during this process. According to Kelly Services,
they mentioned that its takes three to five minutes to form an impression
during an interview. Some employers will scrutinize the candidate the moment
they enter the room.
The employers
will be observing both the verbal and non-verbal actions of the candidate. In
some cases, the candidate might receive challenging questions or sarcastic
remarks from the employers so as to access their attitudes and professionalism.
They have to maintain their professionalism and respond appropriately. Due to
importance of this section, a tutorial will be showcased in the training guide.
4.3 End of the
interview
This is the
part where candidates often neglect. The positive impression forged during the
interview may break at this point due to reasons such as the lack of formality.
According to guidelines of Huffington Post, candidates are highly encouraged to
post job-related questions to the interview or state their interest once again
and most importantly, to send an appreciation email to the interviewers.
5. Benefits:
How first impression is crucial in our success
Creating positive first
impression is highly crucial because “First impressions really are the most
important, according to new research showing that the opinions we form in the
first few minutes after meeting someone play a major role in determining the
course of the relationship” (DYE, 2004).
A positive first impression
during a job interview will increase the likelihood for the applicant to clinch
the job offer. This is true as supported by Direct Tutor’s article on “Making A
Good First Impression” that interviewers may relate to the candidate better
once positive impressions are formed.
By portraying positive
impressions, individuals might gain a boost in their own self-confidence las
they adopt a positive mind set. (supported by who) Additionally, the first
impression imprinted on a person’s mind will shape the course of the relationship,
which is important. This means that employers or colleagues who developed an
impression previously, would expect similar personality of the candidate at
workplace. When such expectations are met, candidates may develop more
confidence and job satisfaction will increase. As such, those first critical
minutes are crucial for an individual’s course of career.
6. Conclusion
In conclusion, creating
positive first impressions are crucial in everyday life especially during job
interviews. The benefits and dangers from the first impressions formed will go
a long way for the candidate. It is therefore critical for university
undergraduates to capitalize on their strengths and improve on their weaknesses
before entering the society for job hunts.
7. References
Clarke,
C. (2015). From first impression to follow-up: Hiring manager shares her
perspective on
every step of a job interview -
Workopolis. Workopolis. Retrieved 10 March 2017, from http://careers.workopolis.com/advice/who-gets-hired-hiring-manager-shares-her-perspective-on-every-step-of-a-job-interview/
Doyle, A.
(2016). Best Job Interview Hairstyles for Women. The Balance.
Retrieved on 10
Lee, R.
(2016). Fresh graduates face challenging job search ahead. TODAY.
Retrieved on 10
March 2017 from http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/fresh-graduates-face-challenging-job-search-ahead
Make a
Great First Impression at the Interview. Monster Career Advice. Retrieved
on 10 March
Making a
Good First Impression | direcTutor. Directutor.com. Retrieved on 10 March
2017, from
Tracy,
B. The Importance of a First Impression. Briantracy.com. Retrieved on
10 March 2017,
