The first 5 minutes of an interview

First impressions do make a difference and unless you present yourself as proficient and trustworthy within the first few minutes of walking in the door, the interviewer is likely to lose interest, no matter what you do or say.

How you perform in the first 5 minutes often determine the outcome of the entire interview. Ever heard the joke,“Man 1 - how long did you interview that guy for? Man 2 - an hour. But I stopped listening after the first 5 minutes!” Well… it's sadly true! First impressions do make a difference and unless you present yourself as proficient and trustworthy within the first few minutes of walking in, the interviewer is likely to lose interest, no matter what you do or say later.

The key things to keep in mind are that you project the appropriate image and substantiate it with well-thought out and confident answers.

Dress in appropriate clothes and shoes, “A man came dressed in jeans and shirt for a formal interview. I was so irritated feeling that he didn’t even respect the job enough to wear trousers, forget tie. Obviously, I didn’t give him the job!” shared an HR Head.

Walk confidently and introduce yourself clearly. Dragging your feet and mumbling your name is not going to make you appear eager or capable.

When seated, maintain good posture and keep making eye contact.This makes you look more engaging and professional. As a body language expert will tell you, looking down at your feet when talking suggests poor self esteem and lack of interest.

Be prepared to discuss anything from your CV or job application form at length. “I like to gauge interviewees based on how they respond to a few initial questions about their interests or school or something. Only if they answer comfortably and generate a positive vibe, do I start asking more in-depth questions” explained a campus recruitment officer.

But don’t be daunted by these first few minutes. Instead, look on them as opportunities. By recognising the gravity of the first impression, you can avoid many of the pitfalls that come with just ‘winging it’. Putting in some serious thought and investing time, practicing what you are going to do and say during those critical first few minutes of your interview, can make more of a difference than you may have thought.
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