You've probably heard it said many times that first impressions are everything.
It is the truth.
And nowhere is it truer than when you go for a job interview.
In fact, when it comes to interviewing for a job, a first impression often is the only impression you get to make.
If you don't "WOW" the recruiter on your first interview, you're probably not going to have the chance to come back and do a better job on the second interview.
This is why it is so crucial to "WOW" your interviewer from the second you walk in the door.
Here are a few tips on how to do exactly that.
Dress for Success You would think this one would be obvious.
Wearing a clean and pressed business suit to an interview for a financial advisor job should be as automatic as strapping on shoulder pads and a helmet to play a tackle football game.
But talk to any recruiter and you will hear story after story of interviewees showing up to that all-important first interview wearing golf shirts, loafers, even blue jeans! Regardless if you're just starting out in your career, you can scrape together the money for one nice suit.
Always have it on when you're going for a job interview! Handshake and Eye Contact The entire reason why first impressions are so important is because psychologists have determined that people begin to form an opinion about someone new within fifteen seconds of first meeting them.
Your handshake and your level of eye contact are the two biggest things over which you have control during those first fifteen seconds.
The difference between a firm (but not bone-crushing) handshake and sustained eye contact versus a dead fish grip while staring at the floor could mean the difference between the interviewer being excited to hear what you have to say going forward versus him mentally checking out for the rest of the interview.
Do Your Research Your interviewer is likely going to pepper you with questions throughout the interview.
Your background, your education, strengths, weaknesses, personality quirks, and so forth.
Then, if he's like a typical finance industry recruiter, he'll open up the floor for you to ask questions of your own.
This is where you want to show him that you've done plenty of research about the firm, and that you're serious about working there.
Formulate your questions based on things you've read on the company web site or seen in industry-related news articles.
The worst thing you can do here is ask exclusively self-serving questions, like how long will my lunch break be, or how long do I have to wait to use my vacation time? Follow Up When a finance industry recruiter interviews a potential financial advisor, one thing he's looking for is follow-up skills.
Being assiduous about following up is paramount in the financial industry.
Therefore, don't just do the interview and then go home and hope the phone rings.
Take some initiative.
Your first email to the interviewer should be sent the minute you get home from the interview.
Just a few sentences to thank him for his time and to let him know that you're excited about the possibility of a career with his firm.
Then, if you haven't heard anything within a day or two, follow up your initial email with a phone call, and if need be, another email.
Finance industry recruiters can chronicle story after story about situations where they were vacillating back and forth between two or three candidates after the initial interview, and then one candidate separated himself from the pack with superior follow-up skills.