Interviewees are always looking to get an advantage over other applicants.
We already know that the way you answer the job interview questions; the structure you use, the tone of your voice and the passion you state your words with have a powerful influence in a job interview.
You will also understand the power of a first impression.
A first impression isn’t just based on what you wear (which is what most people wrongly believe) The first impression is assessed at an unconscious level, and your facial expressions, body language and handshake effect the outcome of the employer’s prejudices.
Visual and Touch
Your brain is in its own world. The mind cant see or feel. Instead, it relies on electrical impulses that are fired off via your senses – what your body see’s, hears and feel’s sending a different electrical impulse to your brain, your subconscious then through learned experience tells you how to respond.
If you see an overweight man, as an example, you will have an instant opinion about this person. Maybe your experience has taught you that overweight people are lazy? Or maybe you have the belief that overweight people are kind and hardworking. We all have and make instant opinions about new people we meet, and we make them instantly.
These opinions can be changed, but often the opinion the interviewer has created about you is a filter that they will use when they interview you – which means you need this first impression to be a positive one.
Your handshake, which is physical, which means its a highly powerful influence, has to help you to create a positive first impression.
Powerful Handshake in a Job Interview
Below you will learn a basic technique to give you a powerful handshake. It will sound so basic, that you won’t at first believe the power of it. So, I recommend you test the different shakes out on a friend. Do this with your eyes closed and focus on the feeling you get when shaking their hand in the following ways
As we said before, handshakes like all body language give away how you are feeling – nervous or confident? And employers prefer to offer jobs to confident interviewees. Employers are not taught what a certain handshake represents but unconsciously your handshake and body language will give clues to the employer’s subconscious mind.
- If your Palm is facing up this can be taken as a sign of submission
- A palm facing down can be taken as aggressive
- A palm facing sideways is taken as a sign of equality
