According to Mehrabian's study, non-verbal communication accounts for 55% of the whole message we want to convey.
As it's a fundamental aspect of communication, looking after your image will be essential before going to a job interview.
To plan an ideal outfit, it helps to have in mind a few details about how the meeting will go, namely:
- the location (at the company or at a recruitment agency)
- the weather
- who you'll be speaking with (an external recruiter or someone from the company)
- the industry (for the company dress code)
Asking yourself these questions in advance will let you prepare your image consciously and, feeling appropriate during the interview, focus on listening and on your verbal communication.
If it's a second interview, it would also be wise to analyse carefully what worked the first time and how to present yourself again to confirm or improve the impression you gave.
On the day, unconsciously and subjectively, the person in front of you will quickly form an idea of you, and changing it won't be easy.
In just a few seconds they'll form an opinion and, even if you have some time to change it, be aware that
Fortunately many companies today rely on recruiters specialised in human resources who can set their own mental maps aside from their overall judgement, but putting every prejudice aside isn't always possible.
According to researchers at Hanover College, being completely objective would be very tiring and would require more activity from the prefrontal cortex.
“Should I dress smartly?” “Should I wear dark colours?”
Besides the points listed above, it will depend on your communication goals!
Paying attention to your image choices doesn't mean showing up to an interview in a contrived way or following simple rules, but finding a balance that lets what we wear represent us and align with what we aim to become: to a recruiter, you are who you appear to be.
Since a job interview can change people's lives, arriving prepared on the image front too can help you stand out from other candidates.
With the CG Imagine professional image assessment, we can identify an effective image specific to the occasion!
