Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels
If the time has come for a change of direction in your career, you are going to have to prepare for the interview process. Perhaps you are swapping companies, or your company has been bought out, and you need to reinterview for your current job. Unless you have been headhunted, then an interview is an inevitable part of getting a job.
Unless you are super confident, you might find interviews send a shiver down your spine. Perhaps you are a nervous or shy person. You are brilliant and your job and highly qualified, but you fall apart when it comes to face to face contact. First impressions are essential, whether you work in a retail environment, teach people to ride horses, or you work in steel fabrication.
In the past, an interview was a little more straightforward. We popped on a suit, and off we went. Fewer people were looking for the same job, and we weren’t so competitive. The internet has meant that hundreds of thousands of people have access to the same position. Fifty years ago, only a few hundred would see an advert for work, and even less would have the ability to travel to the interview.
In today’s society, we dress very differently. The other significant change comes through our appearance. We have been encouraged to express ourselves by the media and digital culture that we live in. Now, body piercings are more common. It’s surprising sometimes to look at someone and then discover they have a tattoo! We have become more experimental with our hairstyles and our make up. Even the army and the police force have accepted that this form of expression should be accepted.
However, when first impressions mean so much, how can we hold on to our unique style, without turning off a prospective employer.
You need to remember that your resume says the most about our skills. So ensure that you cover everything. It may even help to have a friend or professional run through this with you. Make sure that you highlight all your experience and any qualifications that could make you stand out against the competition. It may be tempting to add a photo to your CV, just make sure that this is a real reflection of who you are. If you have a nose ring and you will want to wear it to work every day, then make sure your image represents that. It’s better, to be honest.
Of course, many jobs won’t allow piercings or tattoos on show, so if you think this could be the case, then work out how you can subtly keep yours covered. You don’t owe your body to anyone, so if you have a tattoo of a belly dancing lady on your thigh, you only have to show this to the people you choose. Keep it covered, and you really won’t have to mention it in your interview.
It’s essential to be yourself in an interview, but it is more important to feel comfortable. Don’t hide the things that make you who you are. Use your knowledge of the market you work in to know how open you can be about your individuality.
