Sounds pretty obvious? Good. Then you are more than likely making a good first impression. But as recruiters we have seen and heard of our fair share of bad first impressions. And when we speak of first impressions this is with anyone involved in your graduate job search, both recruiters and graduate employers. Make sure you have an appropriate voicemail set up; we recommend you check this regularly, you never know who has got hold of your phone. Graduate recruiters and employers alike won’t find things funny like your friends do; it could cause irreparable damage to your application. In fact, make sure you actually have a voicemail set up; the inability of a recruiter to leave a message may stop your application dead in its tracks.
Even more importantly, think about the first impression you are giving at your interview. Make sure you are dressed well and appropriately. No dresses or skirts above the knee, no low cut blouses, no unbuttoned shirts. If you are taking laptops or folders make sure they are clean and tidy, not run down and tattered. When sat waiting do not sit on your laptop, read through notes, but make sure you are able to react in an instant to the person arriving. Sit corporately, do not lounge around in their chairs, no matter how comfy they are. Finally, if you want water, accept their offer of a drink, do not take a sports bottle and swig from this throughout an interview.
With an ever increasing pool of talented graduates being produced by universities, these tips are of the upmost importance, no matter how obvious they may seem.
