Career Coach: Interviewing Tip — Make First Impressions Impressive

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Pamela Kleibrink Thompson. [1]

Looks aren’t everything but image matters, especially when meeting a potential employer for the first time. Fair or not, many interviewers judge a person’s ability and intelligence based on his/her appearance. Here are seven tips on how to make a great first impression on the interviewer.

1. Mind your manners. First impressions start the moment you arrive. Be courteous with the security guard, receptionist and any other gatekeepers. They are watching you from the moment you enter the premises so be on your best behavior. Make a great first impression with a friendly smile, firm handshake and confident posture and a well groomed appearance.

2. Travel light. Remove all studs from your nose, lip, tongue and eyebrows. I hired an artist who had half a dozen rings in his eyebrow, but another employer might not have been able to see past the hardware. Don’t let the metal detector take you out of the running for a job.

3. Look sharp, but be comfortable. Make sure your clothes are clean and unwrinkled and your hair looks neat. Wear a hairstyle that doesn’t hide your face.

   Try to find out what the company culture is before the interview. If you have a friend who works at the company you are applying to, ask him/her for advice on what to wear. You can also try visiting the work site before the interview and see what people are wearing when they leave for lunch. Always dress a little nicer than you would if you already had the job.

   Many artists wonder what to wear to an interview. You won’t go wrong with a jacket, collared shirt, slacks and closed-toed polished shoes. Avoid wearing all black by wearing a colorful shirt/blouse or tie. One artist I hired at a videogame company wore a three-piece navy blue suit to the interview. He looked gorgeous and well put-together and ready to work at a bank. He explained that he had just come from another interview at an advertising firm. It’s better to err on the side of overdress than underdress. Imagine if he had the videogame interview first, dressed in the jeans, swag t-shirt and laceless sneakers of that industry, then had arrived for the advertising interview in the same outfit. He wouldn’t have got past the door.

4. Presentation counts in both your image and your portfolio. Make sure your portfolio is neat, with no mars or frayed edges. The contents should be well organized.

5. Too much bling is not a good thing. Minimize jewelry. It’s OK to wear one pair of earrings, but make sure they don’t overpower your face. Wear a simple, elegant watch. His focus should be on you, not on what you are wearing. Leave the oversized accessories at home. Don’t be excessive, be impressive. Interviewers often have trouble staying focused. Your jewelry should not distract the interviewer or detract from you.

6. What you wear to an interview is different than what you wear to a club. Avoid tight, form-fitting styles. Avoid showing cleavage, midriffs or too much skin. You want a job in animation, visual effects, computer graphics or games, not in exotic dancing. Don’t wear anything too extreme or avant-garde. You don’t want your employer to worry that your wardrobe will be a distraction to co-workers.

7. Don’t let the nose say “no.” Shower or bathe before your interview and brush your teeth. Use common sense when applying scents. Do not use cologne, perfume or body spray.

   Recruiters seldom eliminate anyone because he/she is dressed too conservatively. When personal appearance eliminates a candidate, it’s usually because he/she is too flashy, too sloppy or unclean, or his/her clothes fit poorly.

   Make sure your image conveys that you are professional and competent. The interviewer will be more receptive to what you have to say if your look is polished.

Pamela Kleibrink Thompson is a recruiter and career coach with clients in computer animation, visual effects and games. She speaks regularly at colleges and conferences including fmx in Stuttgart, Germany, and SIGGRAPH ‘06 in Boston. A career coach since 1999, Thompson helps clients achieve their goals by developing strategic career plans and effective marketing materials. Thompson is an expert on career transitions, résumés, cover letters and interviewing techniques. She guides her career coaching clients through the complete job search process. Her recruiting clients include Blue Sky Studios, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Paramount and Twentieth Century Fox. To request a one-on-one career coaching session or a speaking engagement, contact Pamela Thompson at PamRecruit@aol.com.