How To Know If A Job Interview Is Going Well

We are told not to judge a book by its cover.

However, in that same conversation one might also tell you that first impressions count.

Job interviews epitomise this daunting paradox.

Have you ever walked into a job interview and felt like you had been judged from the first handshake? Experts from Old Dominion, Florida State, and Clemson University decided to see just how this process works and if in fact first impressions do count. Here’s what the study revealed.

1. People are quick to judge. However, we can retract our claws of cynicism.

Your fate will likely be decided quickly but you’ll have about five minutes before your fate is sealed rather than 60 seconds, with over three quarters of the study showing that decisions occurred after five minutes. If your first impression isn’t quite as flawless as the one you practiced in the mirror, it should be okay. You’ll probably have time to fix it.

2. The longer an interview is the better off you are.

Whether you’re in the hot seat or you’re playing Eddie McGuire’s role, a long interview is good for both parties. You’ll have a better opportunity to break through the first impression and demonstrate actual skills, opposed to whether or not you pull off a pantsuit.

3. If an interviewer starts to make small talk, brace yourself.

An interviewer that made small talk was more likely to make impulsive decisions based on an emotional response, whereas a structured interviewer tended to decide more consistently and took longer to judge candidates. Use this segment to create relationships between yourself and the interviewer. Show interest and find common ground. Perhaps you can bond over your local footy team’s recent victory? Family, friends and politics are too personal and controversial for small talk. Yet again, if you’re from Queensland, mentioning your Game One victory of State of Origin with a New South Welshman is to be avoided, too.

4. You want an early interview.

You may believe that organising an afternoon interview is better because you’ll have the morning to prepare, but the study has shown being interviewed later in the day will work against you. Interviewers will judge you sooner than had you been first applicant.

So, keep this in mind and take on your next interview with a better understanding of what’s going through your interviewer’s head. Remember to have a chat about the weather.

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