Top Tips for Virtual Interviews!

 

According to a recent study by Princeton University, our Charisma is determined by the signals we give others about our warmth and competence, which ultimately leads to you appearing more competent, confident, influential, and trustworthy- all qualities that you want in your next interview!  Charisma is the quality that makes people want to be your friend, speak with you, employ you, and do business with you.

Coming across as highly warm means coming across as trustworthy and likable; while coming across as highly competent, means that we appear more reliable.

The following tips are specifically for Virtual Interviews but can be adapted for any interview, meeting or social event.

1. Show Your Hands.

In the first 10 seconds- the first second really- you want to show your hands.  Wave.  Gesture.  Adjust something.  Subconsciously, if your hands are hidden, it activates the amygdala in the brain of the interviewer and sends a warning that you may be hiding something from in them- a possible danger.  Subconsciously, the interviewer may feel that something is “off” and not feel relaxed chatting with you.

2. The Distance from your Nose to Camera.

If you were physically in the same room as the interviewer, you would not cozy up next to them on the couch.  You would be mindful of a person’s “personal space”.  The same should apply to virtual interviews.  You want to fit 30-45cm from the camera.  (This distance also assists with being able to show your hands, as you talk, with casual hand gestures.)

3. Face Forward

Sit upright, with your toes, your knees, your torso, and shoulders all facing forward, at the camera.  The study shows that if you sit at an angle, or sideways to the camera, you will come across as hard to believe.  (Did you know that the direction a person’s toes face, indicates the way they want to go?  When you are waiting to leave a function, check which way your feet are angled!)

4. Be Careful of “Up Talk”

Up-talk is when you talk at a higher pitch, with a question-inflection at the end.  When your sentence ends at a higher pitch, it sounds like you are unsure of yourself, and asking a question, and it activates the prefrontal cortex of the listener and makes them question the validity of your words.

When you are nervous, you tend to hold your breath, and talking with a full breath raises the pitch.  Try speaking on the exhale.  (Hint- listen to voice notes that you have sent in the last week.  Is your pitch high, neutral, or low?  Does the end of the sentence imply a question?)

5. Facial Expressions.

Don’t smile if you don’t mean it- it comes across as inauthentic.

Nodding your head slowly encourages the other person to talk 57% more, as does dipping your ear to indicate you want to hear more

6. Dress to Impress

Your outfit does not need to make sense- only the top half has to! Pull on a shirt/ jacket/ jersey/ scarf for the 30-minute interview, and then you can go back to whatever you normally wear.

Men- try and wear a collared shirt.  You don’t need a tie or jacket, but a T-shirt/ Vest does not come across as professional.  Facial hair should be neat and hair brushed.

Ladies- Be careful of strappy/ strapless tops- when only your shoulders are showing, it can appear you are not wearing anything.  Look at yourself in the camera before the interview- do you need some lipstick?  Is your neckline revealing?

7. Staging

If you don’t have access to a boardroom, office or other professional setting, sit in a parked car for the interview, where you wont be disturbed and its quiet.  Never walk around during the interview, or hide in stairwells/ bathrooms where there is no signal.

 

If you would like to learn more about Charisma and virtual interviews, watch/ listen to the following interview between Mel Robbins and Vanessa van Edwards, or read the full Prinston Study here.

 

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVmTeH0uK5k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrfafADLwdU

https://www.melrobbins.com/podcasts/episode-18

Photographs on CV’s

The latest trend in recruitment seems to be putting a photo of yourself on your CV.  The majority of the population hate having their photos taken, are naturally critical of themselves, and generally object to this.  I have to admit, if I was in your shoes, I would too!  But the reality is, that employers want these photos, so it may help you to understand why, and what your ideal photo should look like.

Why Put a Photograph on Your CV

I cannot speak for every recruiter, and certainly, I am sure that there are those people who are asking for photos for the wrong reasons.  RESOURCE recruitment does not ask for a photo when you apply for a job through us, but we take one at the interview, which we put on your CV that we will send to our clients.

We started this process a year or two ago, for internal purposes.  Many people are visual, and it helped us remember the candidate, a year or two down the line.  Clients then started requesting photos.  When they are interviewing several people in one day, it helps to look back on the CV and photo, to recall and reflect on the interviews.  Clients will also phone us three months down the line, and say, “Remember we interviewed that lady for the sales position, and she was not suitable.  Well, another position has opened up, that she would be perfect for!  She was the one with the really cool afro.”  A glance at a photo, and they know they have the right person.

But probably the most important reason for putting a photo on your CV is that it makes your CV personal.  It makes a piece of paper, a person.  The candidates getting short-listed, are the ones with pictures on their CV, it is not because of their good looks!  Last week we placed a senior bookkeeper.  All the applicants happened to be between 55 and 59 years of age.  One of the applicants did not want a photo taken for their CV (which we respect).  When the client short-listed candidates for interviews, he asked to see all the candidates except the one without a photo.  When I asked him why he did not want to see her, he replied, “I don’t know.  I don’t get a good feeling about her CV.  Let’s see the others first.”

 

THE DO’S AND DON’T’S OF PROFILE PICTURES

Here are a few common mistakes to watch out for when putting a profile picture on your CV.  Always remember the aim- to market yourself as a professional, not to win admirers and friends.

BLURRY OR TOO SMALL

Ideally, your photo should be 200 x 200 pixels or larger. Anything smaller and you’re guaranteed to end up with a fuzzy or teeny tiny image If possible choose a square headshot, as it will work with other social media accounts.

TOO CLOSE OR TOO FAR AWAY

Stick with a standard headshot for your profile pic. Prospective employers won’t be able to identify you from a picture too far away.

THE GROUP SHOT

Remember, this picture is supposed to represent your professional brand – no one else’s. Don’t make recruiters guess which person you are in the photo. Use an image that shows you and only you.

THE CROP

Cropping yourself out of the group shot doesn’t work either. While it may be your favorite picture, no one wants to see half of your loved one’s face or your best friend’s hair on your shoulder.

TOO SERIOUS

Opt for photos where you’re looking at the camera and smiling. You want to appear friendly and approachable.

GOOFY EXPRESSIONS

Remember, this image is supposed to represent your professional brand. When you look at your profile photo, does it send the same message as your resume?  This includes NO pouty lips!!

NO PROPS, BABY PICS AND PETS.

Save these cute pics with your toddler or puppy for your personal social-media channels such as Facebook or Instagram. Make sure that you are not holding alcohol or cigarettes, and that you don’t have any props in the picture indicating that you are off to do something, such as a motorbike helmet or fishing rod.  Stick to a photo of yourself for your professional profiles.

NO SELFIES

This is a professional photo of you.  Ask someone to take it, rather than have your hand shooting out the corner of the photo.

BACKGROUNDS COUNT

Before you put a photo of yourself in a nightclub, or most commonly a bathroom, think about the impression this makes.  Either a neutral background is good, or alternatively at your desk or in a professional setting is always good.

DRESS TO IMPRESS

Dress in appropriate work clothes.  No evening dresses, wedding gowns, bikini tops, topless men or sky diving suites if you want to be taken seriously.

 

It’s totally up to you if you put a picture on your CV or not, but if you are going to, make sure that like all things when looking for a new job, it markets you the way you want to be viewed by prospective employees.

How to Come Across More Likeable in Interviews

People like positive people, and people employ people they like!  So if you want to get a job, you have to put a smile on your face, inject yourself with positivity and energy, and go out there and make it happen!  Easier said than done?

 

Every negative mood started with a single negative thought, which snowballed out of control.  The good news is that a single positive thought can do the same thing!  Here are a few things that you can do to hopefully turn your mood around for your next interview.

 

Play Loud Music On The Way To The Interview

Make a playlist of songs that make you feel alive, turn it up loud and sing along.  Dance and jump around if appropriate.  Get that blood pumping and feel alive! There is nothing like some music to lift your spirits (just make sure you turn it down when you arrive at the interview!)

 

Stay In The Moment

People tend to walk into an interview, and I am not sure if it is nerves or adrenaline, but they either jump straight into the past (more often than not, to negative work experiences); or to the future- worrying about reasons why they cannot accept the position or skills they may not have.  Just breathe.  Don’t let your mind run away.  Stay present and look for the value in the moment.

 

Smile and Be Friendly

In life, you get what you give.  So if you want people to be nice to you, be nice to them.  Smile and be friendly (not over familiar), and your interviewer will have no choice but to be friendly back.  Never forget that your interviewer is a personal too.  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own nerves and what is at stake, that we forget this.

 

Start a Fan Club

Unfortunately in life, we tend to be surrounded with too many negative people in general.  Start developing a group of friends that are positive and believe in you.  If you need an extra boost before the interview, phone one of them, and tell them the purpose of your call.  If you are going to an interview with one of our clients, give RESOURCE recruitment a call, and we will tell you exactly why we think you are amazing for the position and all the reasons that you are going to do amazingly well!

 

Turn The Negatives Into Positives

You need to constantly be mindful of your thoughts, can catch negative thoughts or doubts.  As soon as you do, rephrase them and repeat the positive version to yourself a few times.  For example, change “I hope this position is not as hard as the last one.” To “This is going to be such a fun, stress-free position.  I have the skills, experience and attitude to do any position I want!”

 

Don’t Play The Victim!

The challenges we face in life are all opportunities to learn and grow.  Without challenges you would not be looking for a new job that potentially could make your life so much better.  I interview many people who thought the end of the world had come when they were retrenched, only to realize that it was the push that they needed to get out of their comfort zone!

 

Focus On The Positives

Ever notice how it is easier to get passionate and talk about the negative stuff?  It’s that negative thought spiraling out of control.  Before you know it, the interview is over, and all you have talked about is your miserable boss, how you get no recognition and you cannot afford to complete your studies.  If you focused on the positive, you could have told them all about how you have grown in your last position, all the amazing experiences you have had, your achievements, and your dreams to study further.

Be Grateful

There are a million books and posts out there about gratitude, and they are all true!  At the end of the interview, thank everyone for the opportunity.  Be grateful that you got short-listed for the interview.  Be grateful that you may have been asked some questions that made you think.  Be grateful for any advice you may have been given.  Be grateful if it made you feel inspired.  And be grateful if you are ever not successful- because something better is out there for you, and you are one step closer to finding it!

 

Be Kind To Yourself

Finally, be gentle with yourself.  We all blow the odd interview question or interview altogether.   We all say stupid things and make mistakes.  Don’t dwell on it.  You are human.  Take the positive, and move on.

 

It’s really hard work staying positive, but it’s worth it!  Read inspiring quotes, keep a gratitude journal, surround yourself with positive people, do something new and exciting that challenges you, and constantly look for the good in everyone and everything!

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

Happy positive thinking!

How to Love Your Job

Studies show that out of every 5 people, 1 loves their job, 1 dislikes it and 3 are neutral.  This is unfortunate as we spend more waking hours at work than not.  Loving your job can be hard, especially if you are bored and feel unappreciated, but here are 10 things that you can do to change your life and your job.

 

1. CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK. If you are bored and unstimulated, making a little change can make all the difference.  Try answering the phone a different way or asking your clients a new question when you see them.

 

2. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB. When you focus on the negative, you attract negative things, and when you focus on the positive, you get more positive things into your life.  Try making a “Gratitude List” and every day add 2-3 more things to the list.  They may be little things like the tea that you are drinking, the quiet walk to the building or your comfortable chair; or bigger things like the salary you receive or the medical aid/ provident fund that you are a member of.  Read through the list when you are having a bad day.

 

 

3. STAY AWAY FROM THE HATERS! Every company has them- those people who see the worst in every situation, resent the boss, love to gossip and most of all, bring everyone down with them.  If you are constantly surrounded by this negativity you will soon get the same reputation, and find it impossible to see the positive aspects of your job and the opportunities.

 

4. LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES– Ask for more of what you like. Chat to your manager about your concerns and possibly volunteer to take on a new project.  If they know you are bored, they will be more likely to think of you the next time one comes up.  If you want things changed, think of possible solutions, and instead of taking grievances to them, take solutions.

 

5. LEARN SOMETHING NEW. Most people are not actually unhappy with the company, they are just bored.  Take advantage of any courses or training your company offers, and if they don’t, set yourself a goal to learn something new or read a book that enlightens you.  We live in an age of technology that puts this all at our fingertips, and often for free.  Be proactive and help yourself!!

 

6. IMPROVE YOUR WORKING CONDITIONS. Make friends with your co-workers and go to office socials and Christmas Parties.  Make your workstation neat and inviting and add a personal touch if at all possible.

 

7. LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE. We all have bad days or weeks, and particularly stressful times at work.  Don’t let a mistake or a challenging client ruin the whole job.  Look at the bigger picture and ask yourself, “In 6-12 months’ time will these issues matter?”  If the answer is “No”, then do your best, work through the challenge, and remind yourself that this is only a bump in an otherwise pleasant road to success.

 

8. LOOK AT YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND YOURSELF. Is the problem your job, or is it your life, and are there any obstacles in your personal life that you can change, to make your job more enjoyable?  Are you traveling too far to work?  Do you need more support with child care?  Are you depressed and just looking for an excuse as to why you feel miserable?

 

9. WORK HARDER. Hold yourself to a higher standard and set yourself goals- challenge yourself!  The Universe has a way of rewarding people who make a positive effort- one way or another.

 

10. CONSIDER LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB. Sometimes, after you have gone through all the above steps, you realize that for one reason or another, it is time to move on.  Take time to think this through, and to think about what you will want in your next job, so that you will feel fulfilled.  If you go through the above steps, when you eventually go for interviews, you will be able to confidently answer questions about why you are leaving your current employment; what you want, and not want, in your next job, and you will come through as positive and proactive.

 

Be proactive and take responsibility for your own life.  Motivation comes from within, and no one can make you happy in your job unless you decide that you want to be happy.

30 Top Tips for Looking For a Job

1. On the phone, when typing your emails, and when you arrive at the interview.  People like happy people.
2. If you are phoning to book an interview or ask for an email address, have a pen and paper handy BEFORE you make the call.
3. Treat EVERY interview like it is the most important interview ever, or you will not get to the next round of interviews.
4. When you send an email from your phone, don’t forget that it will be read on a computer.
5. Your CV is an indication of the pride you take in your work and should be the best piece of work you produce.  If you cannot take the time to type, proofread and save it, what will you produce when you get the job?
6. No recruiter has ever shortlisted someone for an interview purely based on their hobbies… Recruiters are interested in your skills and experience.  Focus your CV on what you have to offer.
7. Showing off your WordArt and ClipArt skills on your CV will probably not impress anyone.
8. Answering “Not Applicable” (n/a) to a relevant question, or deleting it, will not go unnoticed.
9. Everyone says that they are a fast learner.
10. When asked about salary, answer with Gross or Cost to Company, not what arrives in your bank account at the end of the month.
11. No one cares what salary you need to live the lifestyle you want.  They care about what your skills and experience are worth, and what their budget allows them to pay.
12. Good old-fashioned manners count for a lot.
13. First impressions are made the minute the interviewer sees you (and whoever you bring along to the interview) and last long after you have left.  This means that the loud music, smoking in the parking lot, kids crying in the car, and playing on your cell phone in reception remain fast in the recruiter’s mind.
14. If you smell strongly of cigarette smoke (because you had a quick one before the interview or your driver did), no one will believe that you are a ‘social smoker’.
15. Never arrive more than 15 minutes early for an interview.
16. Shake hands firmly and make eye contact.
17. Dress to impress.  Jeans, shorts, slops and evening attire are not appropriate.  This is the best you will ever dress if you get the job, because you are supposed to be trying to impress.
18. Don’t forget that you are in a job interview! Not a therapy session, not a date, not a chat with a friend…
19. Switch your cell phone OFF.  Your phone vibrating in your bag or on the table is just as bad as if it rang.
20. Save any controversial topics (criminal or ITC records, dismissals, holiday or study commitments) to the end of the interview, after you have “sold yourself” for the job.  Don’t close the door before its even open by leading with the negative.
21. Do not focus on the reasons that have driven you to look for a job. Rather focus on your skills, achievements and what you have to offer the company. You will only be employed on the latter.
22. Your lies will always come out in the end. Always.
23. Looking for a job is a “stats game”.  The more you apply, the more chances you have of getting an interview.  The more interviews you attend, the more chance you have of getting an offer of employment.  Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, and don’t expect to get the first job you apply for.
24. Unsuccessful applications can be positive, in that they provide an opportunity for growth. If you ask for feedback, use it.  Sometimes things happen for a reason!
25. If it seems too good to be true… it generally is.
26. Walking out on a company without notice, in order to be available immediately, is an indication of how you will treat the company interviewing you when it is time for you to leave them.
27. Put your most recent job first on your CV.
28. If you want feedback, ask for it.
29. If you want to be remembered, remind people that you are still looking.
30. Landing that dream job is your dream!  Act like it and own it!  You can’t apply for a job or go for an interview, and then expect someone else to care more about your dream than you do.