By Alan Fairweather

 

How do you ensure your future employer hires you before any other applicant?

 

You need the right skills, knowledge and experience for the job, as well as personal attributes that will catch the attention of your prospective employer.  Smply put, you need to be likeable.  You need to be an expert at selling yourself.

 

When you meet a prospective employer for the first time, they will make a quick decision about you.  Research by psychologists has established that people make arond 11 decisions about other people within the first 2 minutes of meeting them.  They tend to stick with these decisions until proved otherwise.

 

It is therefore vitally important for you, as a job applicant, to get the interviewer to "buy" you as quickly as possible.  Here is how.

 

 

Selling yourself is pretty mich like selling anything.  You need to believe in what you are selling.  That means believing in yourself.  It is about using lots of positive self-talk and having the right attitude.

 

The first thing people notice about you is your attitude.  If you are like most people, then you may suffer from a lack of confidence from time to time.  This is when you have to talk to yourself positively.  There are books you can buy and courses you can attend to boost your confidence and it is worth making the effort.

 

It is not just about a positive attitude; it is about having the right attitude.

 

Successful people have a constructive and optimistic way of looking at themselves and their work.  They feel good about themselves and believe that everything they do will lead to their inevitable success.  They draw people towards them.

 

 

 

Everything about you needs to look good, so dress appropriately for the occasion.  The style and colour of the clothes you wear, your spectacles, shoes, briefcase, watch, the pen you use, all make a statement about you.

 

Another little tip - when the person in reception at your prospective new office says: "Have a seat" - Don't!  When your potential employer comes to greet you, you will be the one standing in reception looking smart, sharp, poised, confident and ready to discuss your suitability for the job.

 

 

 

You don't need a big ear-to-ear grin, just a pleasant open face that does not frighten your potential employer.

 

 

 

Business is less formal nowadays, so after you are introduced, address the hiring managers by their name, for example, Mr Tan or Ms Lee, rather than "sir" or "madam".  Be careful of using first names initially.  Many people do not like it as it can come across as over-familiar.

 

 

 

When your prospective employer is speaking, make sure he knows that you are listening.  If he sees a blank expression then he will assume you are not really listening.  The trick is to nod your head if you agree with something, say the occasional "uh-huh" and ask intelligent questions.

 

 

 

If you want to be interesting, then be interested.  This really is the most important thing you can do to be successful at selling yourself.  The majority of employers are very concerned about the image of their business.

 

Do not fall into the trap of flattering your prospective employers, because most of them will see right through you.  Just show some genuine interest in the hiring manager and his business and he will be much more receptive to  what you say.

 

 

 

do not say: "Isn't it a horrible day" if the weather is bad or "Business is pretty tough at present" or anything else that pulls the conversation down.  Say things like "I like the design of this office" or "I've heard some good reports about your new product" - but only if it is true.

 

 

 

If you look or sound stressed, your interviewer will feel uncomfortable.  If you look and sound warm and friendly, then you are more likely to get a more positive response from him.

 

Before you get down to the process of telling your interviewer about your qualifications, skills and abilities, you need to ensure that he sees you as a possible hire and that you have his full attention.