How To Apply For A Job - Body Language And First Impressions

Body language

What did you notice about the picture? The suit? The tie? Or maybe it was the open hand? Its subtle, but your body language plays a huge role in a sales approach or any conversation. A few things to look out for when trying to improve your body language:

• Posture
• Hands and arms
• Head and face
• Legs

Lets go through each of the points and discuss what is important.

Posture: Pull your shoulders back, take a deep breath and stand upright, that is how your posture should look like. Standing upright makes you look confident, and confidence is key when it comes to business. A good posture improves your voice as well

Hands: Notice how the person greeted you with an open hand? How you hold your hand will affect the way people perceive you. An open hand appears less dominant, whereas if the back of your hand is looking up, that is perceived as dominant. If you apply for a job or meet your supervisors, you don't want to be too dominant. Best thing is to find a good balance, but keep your hand slightly open. Never cross your arms in front of your body!

Head and face: Smile. Smile. Smile. Noone likes a grudge. Of course, you should be mindful and don't overact, but a friendly face is always appreciated. Actors train in front of a mirror, you should do the same! Don't tilt your head, keep it straight and keep eye contact with your counterpart.

Legs: Crossing your legs might have the same effect as crossing your arms, so you should try to avoid it. When standing, your feet should be as far apart from each other as your shoulders. Not too far apart, not too close.

How to make a first good impression

Whether you apply for a job, start at your new job, meet your supervisors or your dream girl, the first impression matters. In 2017, the age of internet and information you would expect a certain standard when it comes to outer appearance, language and preparation. So I thought at least, but I was dead wrong. People calling me by my first name, appearing unshaved or with improper clothing, no preparation, no knowledge. I've seen it all. Let me give you a few things you should look out for when applying for the first time:

1. Adequate clothing: There is no such thing as overdressed. Sure, not all jobs require a tie, but people trust people more when they are well dressed. You should not fool yourself in thinking, your counterpart will be easy going because it is a startup, or a trendy and new company. If unsure, simply call the person you will be talking to and ask for the dress code, that shows that you care about the little things as well.

2. Adequate outer appearance: Apart from your clothing the rest of your outer appearance matters as well. Do your hair, brush your teeth, make sure your breath is fresh. Trim your beard or shave it off completely if the company policy requires it. Put on a smile and be nice to people. Don't be shy either, if you approach people directly, you will seem much more confident.

3. How to talk: Always start with using your counterparts last name, don't call them by their first name unless thats how they introduced themselves. Use a honorific if needed. Be clear in your communication and avoid using colloquial language, reduce your dialect to a minimum if possible.

4. How to prepare yourself: Google is your friend when it comes to preparing on a company. A broad overview about the company in general should be sufficient, focus your research on competitors, especially those in the local area if that is applicable. Have a look at them and incorporate your knowledge in the conversation.

Check out my other How-Tos and let me know what you think in the comments. Thanks for reading!

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