Details make or break first impressions - Military Careers, Second Careers - Navy Times

Details make or break first impressions

Think of it as a building block. Without a strong foundation, nothing stands — and that’s what a first impression is all about.

Job candidates have a lot at stake. In the effort to build a second career, they first have to build a favorable impression — and generally have very little time to do it. So, what’s the best way to make the most of your encounters with hiring managers and employers, and what criteria can help you stand out from the pack?

Lillian D. Bjorseth says image is everything. A nationally recognized speaker, writer and communication-skills trainer, Bjorseth believes that making great impressions means making lasting impressions that can carry an individual through one interview and throughout one’s career.

A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, she trains corporate and individual clients through workshops, in-house training programs, consulting and skills coaching. She is also the author of “Breakthrough Networking — Building Relationships That Last,“ “52 Ways to Break the Ice & Target Your Market“ and the “Nothing Happens until We Communicate“ CD and workbook series.

Bjorseth offered the following advice to service members determined to make great first impressions during their search for a second career.

What are the elements of a great first impression?

The success of any personal encounter begins the second someone lays eyes on you — often before either of you speaks. A professional image includes appearance and behavior and helps start the experience in the right vein. Learning the art of impression management means planning how you look and how you act to get a certain reaction and is sure to impact your career or business more favorably.

What will help job candidates or new employees carry off the confidence they need to portray?

Posture is one critical aspect. One of the first key things people notice is how you carry and present yourself. Walk and stand with confidence, with your stomach in, your chest out, shoulders back and head up. If you slouch, you may be saying to people that you are not sure of yourself, are not poised and, therefore, not the one they should hire or get to know. You may be turning people away without even being aware of it.

What besides confidence and dressing well for an interview may contribute to great first impressions?

Recruiters tell me they use appearance to judge organizational skills. If they know where the potential employee parked, they may send someone to walk around the car to see if it looks clean and orderly or if it resembles the refuse bin for a fast-food restaurant or the repository for a week’s clothing that needs to be taken to the cleaners.

What about making first impressions once you’re on the job?

During those first few days at work and beyond, wearing the right outfit is an important indicator of whether you can make the right decisions at work, too. Know when to wear a suit, business-casual or formal attire to office events so you blend in appropriately. In the business environment, you need to know how to act — whether it’s at a conference, after hours or at a meeting or trade show. So make the most effective and efficient use of your time and attract those people with whom you want to do business and add to your network.

(Decision Times writer Tranette Ledford interviews a career transition expert each month for the Ask an Expert column.)