First impression has a huge influence.

We all know the proverb that says ‘do not judge the book by its cover’ but a few seconds is just enough to take the measure of someone. Personal Branding is a marketing strategy which aims at building an image which improves applicant’s attractiveness on the labour market. It consists of two levels: an image on the Internet and social media, and directly on a job interview.  

The most important thing is to keep everything coherent and credible.  Take care of sharing photos and information about you on the Net  and be active on websites of your profession, write blogs, collect positive references, confirm your skills. The golden rule is: dress up for a job interview as if you were applying for a higher position.

Employers search for people who will contribute to the development of their company, therefore investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. Check what skills are desired on the labour market, how to develop yourself and what professional qualifications you already possess.  Building a personal brand requires actions that will allow you to stay ahead of the competition and guarantee success.  

Values are vital for both an employer and a job-seeker.  Each company needs employees that fi t into the world of values and, more importantly, respect  principles that define company’s identity and influence business decisions.

Make sure that when you apply for a job, your values are in coherence with company’s values. Remuneration, perks, good atmosphere and people you work with are issues of great significance, but when company’s vales are not consistent with yours, motivation for work easily disappears and remuneration is no longer important.  

A great match in terms of values is the best method to ensure a long-term success. 

(SELECTIVE INTERVIEW) – HOW TO PREPARE?

Before an interview, read again a job advertisement, collect information about the organization, its profile and activities. Prepare yourself to answer questions about your CV, your advantages/disadvantages, personality traits, goals and plans. Determine how much you would like to earn by analysing how much employers offer for similar job positions.

WHAT TO FOCUS ON?

Key issues: self-presentation skills – talking about yourself, your successes, achievements, advantages, but also about weaknesses and failures. Body language – facial expressions, gestures, eye contact. Communication skills - clear and concise. Outfit - smart and suitable for a job interview.

HOW TO SHOW COMMITMENT?

If you want to show that you care about a job: be punctual, learn as much as you can about a company you are trying to get into, ask questions at the end of a job interview, present an open posture and smile.

Correct, readable and clearly-written CV is the first step to success. It is important to highlight information that meet the requirements (e.g. education, language proficiency) and place clear and structured categories such as courses and trainings, skills and interests that are the source of valuable information for a recruiter. Precise description of employee’s duties is inevitable – not always two similar job positions share the same scope of duties!

Why can information included in your CV negatively influence your success during a job interview?

• Each information included in a CV can be verified during a job interview. Recruiters ask questions, very often detailed ones, in order to check candidate’s knowledge. For example, if a candidate placed information about being into psychology, coaching, and Asian culture, it is necessary to have knowledge about those topics.
• A conversation in a foreign language can expose poor language proficiency.
• Placing false information about former places of employment and job positions as well as inability to answer questions about a particular industry, company and specialist terminology can contribute to failure on a job interview as well.