How Can You Make a Good First Impression on Employers? By Doing This

Summary: Want to make a great impression on potential employers? Learn how to do this in this article.

Question: How can new college graduates make an impression on employers? The possibility of grabbing a company’s attention with dazzling accomplishments stated in quantifiable terms seems unrealistic to a 22-year-old. Any suggestions?

Answer: The expectations of job candidates as presented in popular career literature can seem rather daunting to someone who is just starting a career. When you cut through the hype, however, there is a basic principle that applies regardless of your experience level. The core concept to grasp and articulate is how your talents relate to the needs of the employer. This requires that you know yourself well, and take the time to find out what makes a particular employer tick.

As you consider your strengths, go back to the two points you made in your question: accomplishments and quantifiable terms. If you have completed any special class projects, participated as a member of a club or sport, contributed to the community, completed an internship or held a summer job/work-study assignment, you have accomplishments that can be quantified.

In addition to “what” you have achieved, employers are interested in “how” you do things. Arm yourself with plenty of stories that you can draw on in an interview to demonstrate not only your achievements but also your personality. Qualities like initiative, optimism, team-spiritedness, leadership, and resourcefulness will impress employers.

The real aim is to highlight results. Think of situations in which you may have taken a risk and realized a breakthrough, increased efficiency, delighted a customer, led your classmates or overcome obstacles to achieve a goal. These are the types of insights about yourself that you can reflect on and translate into assets for a potential employer. If you have done your homework and discovered something about the priorities and the problems of the employer, you can speak convincingly about the potential contributions that your strengths and style will bring.

See The Top 4 Ways to Make a Good First Impression at an Interview: The Definitive Guide for more information.