“The first impression is the last impression” is a very old but true quote especially when it comes to the interview. The way you greet an interviewer may play a big role in you getting the job. You have a limited amount of time in your hand to convince the person in front of you that you are the perfect candidate for the particular job you have applied for. Your interview greetings transfer the image of who you are. It is a part of the custom. The clothes that you choose to wear, the words that you choose to speak can sometimes be the decisive ones but not every person can impress the interviewer just by greeting them. So here are few points on how to greet the interviewer?
While being in the waiting room:
Let’s start with you being in the waiting room. While you wait, make sure not to spread a ‘you are nervous aura.’ This will not only have a bad impression of you, but it will make the other candidate aware of your nervousness as well. So, make sure to demonstrate that you are comfortable and display a positive attitude in the waiting area.
Here is some more etiquettes tip that you can show while being in the waiting room.
- Your phone should be in silent mode or switched off.
- Sit comfortably but professionally.
- If you are carrying the document with you, don’t hug that document, just keep it on your lap or beside you.
- Sit quietly while you wait and avoid fidgeting or playing with your cell phone.
When you enter the interview room:
Even if you were a little nervous while being in the waiting room, you must walk into the main interview room with full confidence. The initial impression that you will create on the interviewers is really important. A small difference in your behavior will create a huge difference. The way you walk towards the assigned chair and the way you address them can pique their interest in you.
When it comes to your walk, make sure to walk upright straight. Have a slight smile on your face and maintain eye contact. If the interviewer stands up to shake hands (which is a rare phenomenon), then do so with firm pressure on your hand while shaking it. The handshake must not have to be too long so make sure that you do not expand the handshake.
After these, make sure to sit properly on the chair only after they ask you to do so. If they are taking too long to ask you to sit down then politely ask, “with your permission, can I sit down?” After getting past all of these gestures comes the greeting. Remember that, you can use your first sentences and your attitude to demonstrate your interest in the position and your determination. Here are some points that you can take care of while greeting the interviewer:
- Be polite:
When it comes to greeting it is very important to be polite. Make sure to listen properly first before answering any of their questions. If you cannot listen to them in the first go then politely ask them to repeat the question. Add ‘pardon’ or I am sorry can you repeat that?’ You have to answer the questions as politely as you can because you don’t want the interviewers to get the impression that you know ‘everything’ and that you are overconfident about it. That would be a bad impression. If you don’t know the answer to a question, simply say that ‘you cannot recall it at the moment.’ Don’t get nervous and start speaking gibberish because that will make them lose their interest in you as a candidate.
- Use formal language:
Well, it’s your interview so don’t try to be friendly or over-friendly to be exact. Make sure that the words you speak scream professionalism because even if your interview was like an average hit, your professionalism can make you climb that selection chart. Sit straight and speak confidently. Don’t just pour the bookish knowledge but add your points to the answer. This will attract the attention of the interviewers towards your answer.
- Maintain eye contact:
Without any doubt, this is the most important point in a good greeting list. Your eyes speak better than you imagine them to be. A person can tell whether you are confident or nervous just by looking at your eyes. Your eye contact with the employers while you answer the question can be the changing point of your career. You can get selected just by that (of course if you answer properly). Most of the interviewers’ lookout for eye contact in you. You don’t need to be nervous about the interview. Just speak confidently. Just for an example, when your answer is wrong but you speak it with confidence, it will make the interviewer believe that the answer is surely right. This is the magic of eye contact with confidence. Throughout the interview do not keep looking down or anywhere else but the interviewer. Sometimes it comes in the category of the rude personality.
- Your head tilts:
The way you move your head while they ask you a question or when you answer them is very important. In some cases, the interviewer explains certain things to you like a normal conversation. At that moment if you are just sitting without any head gestures, they will think that you are a robot and that you are not interested in what they are speaking. That will be a really bad start. Have a proper head tilts in a nod or sideways? Just don’t overdo it.
- Speak with your body:
While you are being polite and answering the questions with a smile, don’t forget to add some of the hand movements. Don’t keep it in a folded form because that will come out rude. You are there for the job, in that room, they are your teachers so you will have to show some respect.
- Speak comfortably:
Show them that you are comfortable while you speak to them. Don’t let them have an idea that you are feeling awkward and nervous in front of them. You have to make sure that the interviewer should feel comfortable too. So, take care of that.
Tip for an interview held upon the phone:
In some cases, employers go for a phone interview before calling you for the main one. They do so to reduce the number of candidates for the main interview. But sometimes it’s just your phone interview that decides if you are selected or not. Here are some tips for you to greet your interviewer over the phone.
Professionally answer the phone:
Even if it is a phone interview, that does not mean that you can afford to be less professional. Professionally answer the phone no matter what. Arrange a quiet room for yourself that time being. Tell your peers or family member that you are expecting a call at the appointed time. Ask them not to disturb you for that time being and also be sure that no one else call you at that moment (unless it’s not an emergency). Answer in the first go. Don’t let them reach your voicemail.
Pick up the phone and introduce yourself :
As you will be expecting a call, it must not be hard to introduce yourself ahead of them. This way, the interviewers will know immediately that they reached the right person. But take care of few things that you don’t seem desperate. Don’t do the nervous laugh after every sentence you speak.
Stay formal:
While addressing them over the phone, make sure to politely call the interviewer with their last name. Even though they cannot see you and your body gesture, they will mark you on how you speak. Your word then has to be more expressive than before.
Mirror your interviewer:
Go with the flow. If the interviewer wants to have small talk or directly starts asking you questions, just go with the flow. Let them take the lead and you keep answering their questions. If you cannot hear them, just ask them to repeat themselves which they will gladly do as phone interviews are solely based on the network connections.
Smile while speaking:
Smiling while you speak will give them an idea of your positive tone and image, which is very essential since the interviewer is only going to hear your voice. If you are still feeling nervous then stand and walk around the room that you choose to give an interview in. This will help you to gain the momentum of the situation and make you more confident in your tone.
So, the movement you get interview date, start preparing for the interview. This will make you less nervous for your D-day. Hope you all clear your interview with the help of the above-given points.
