The ability to properly present yourself is an important skill, especially during a job interview. This is because recruiters don’t only take your professionalism and experience into account, but also your confidence level, how well you speak, and many other things. However, aside from your skills, there are also some psychological techniques that can help you get the job of your dreams faster and easier.
We at Bright Side have reviewed some new studies and found tricks on how to make recruiters more interested in you.
1. Don’t make appointments for Mondays or Fridays.
Psychologists and experienced recruiters have found the perfect time for a job interview: Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On this day and at this time, you have the best chance of making a great impression on your employer and here’s why: Monday is a difficult day for everyone, and the HR department is no exception. On Fridays, everyone is thinking about the weekend. So, the time you can use to your advantage is in the middle of the week as long as it’s not in the very early morning.
2. Open legs can ruin a first impression.
The color of your clothes has a big impact on how other people see you. For example, if you’re wearing a blue or a brown suit, it means that you’re a serious candidate. The only color that automatically repels employers unanimously is orange. But color is not the only thing you should keep in mind.
Don’t forget about the tights. Surveys show that a small detail like this is actually huge! Women with open legs on job interviews are believed to be frivolous.
And one more thing about high heels — psychologically, tall people look like leaders and professionals. Even their average salary is higher than those who are shorter.
3. A clothing trick that will instantly make anyone like you.
In psychology, there’s a term known as positive reinforcement — it’s a pleasant result of a person’s willingness to continue doing something. You can use this effect to your advantage.
The reinforcement can be very different (like money or praise) but when looking for a job, you will need similarity attraction. Even the strictest employer will subconsciously trust the job seeker if they find that they have something in common with them like hobbies, clothing taste, music, or books. Even if you’re not the perfect candidate, similarity attraction will win you more points.
4. There are words you should never say.
Some words are like red flags for employers. Psychologists even conducted a special study and found that words such as “like” and hesitations significantly reduce the chances of finding a job.
However, this rule works only if your recruiter is older than 30-40. Younger headhunters are less picky about the vocabulary you use.
5. A smile can ruin an impression, even if you’re a professional.
Recruiters don’t like people that have very wide smiles. And it’s not that they’re mean, it’s purely psychological. A person that smiles too often is believed to be less serious.
The only kind of work where smiley people have an advantage is when working with people (like in sales, for instance). In all other fields, headhunters want to have a person with a serious face.
6. A smart trick when answering questions from the CV.
In big companies, recruiters have to do a lot of job interviews and they’re all the same. Future employees answer the questions that they expect to hear, so the interview ends up being too smooth and perfect. In the end, all the job seekers are exactly the same in the eyes of the recruiters. But there is a secret.
Break the monotony and say, “Let me tell you something that’s not on my CV.” This phrase will catch the recruiter off guard and make them see you in a totally different light.
7. A special talking technique will earn you some privileges.
All people like it when someone listens to them attentively. Recruiters are no exception. Psychologists recommend using the technique called reflective listening. It’s a communicative strategy that consists of 3 steps: repeat, agree, and add. You can’t just listen and nod, you have to let the person know you understood the information. Below is an example of this.
Recruiter: “We’re looking for a person that is ready to spend 8 hours in the office from Monday to Friday and sometimes on the weekends when needed. We pay extra for overtime work.”
You: “In other words, I will have a regular working week with occasional overtime work (repeat). This is okay in our line of work (agree). However, I can optimize the process and make it so that nobody has to work on the weekends (add).”
This strategy will allow you to become a true master of negotiations. Someone you have already agreed with can’t say no to you.
8. The photo on the CV has to be a little provocative.
Women that show cleavage in a CV photo get the job19 times more often. Of course, don’t go too far. But if an employer has to choose between a woman wearing a buttoned shirt and a woman with cleavage, they’re most likely to choose the latter. And the field doesn’t really matter here: this rule works in all kinds of professions, from bookkeeping to sales.
9. There’s an area on the face that attracts attention.
Everything should be perfect about a person. But still, in conversation, we subconsciously concentrate on the triangle of the “eyes, nose, and lips.” Relaxed facial muscles and a little bit of makeup won’t take all of the attention, whereas frowning or wearing too much makeup won’t let the interviewer memorize all the important information about you.
10. What you’re doing while waiting for the job interview also influences the result.
During a job interview, every little thing matters: you’re being watched even when you’re waiting for the interview to start. Expert recruiters don’t recommend talking on the phone or drinking coffee. You have no idea when your recruiter is going to show up.
It’s better to have a free right hand in order to be able to respond to the headhunter’s handshake. You can have a small chat with the secretary or read some magazines while you wait.
Have you ever had to fight for a job or are you able to present yourself in the right way? Share the secrets of your success with us.
Story credit: BrightSide
