HOW TO MAKE THE RIGHT IMPRESSION
IMAGE IS EVERYTHING
Look conservative with a small c – think West Wing, not Sex and the City. Make sure that you accessorise carefully and avoid any novelty fashion. If in any doubt, aim for a smarter look than you think is needed – it’s better to be safe than sorry.
ACT CONFIDENT EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT
Banish fidgeting, hair twirling and other non-confident body language and replace tentative words (maybe, perhaps, might) with positive, vigorous ones. Each time you tackle a scary situation, praise yourself for what you did well and chalk the rest up to experience. Recognise that even the most outwardly confident people get butterflies.
SHARE WATERCOOLER MOMENTS
We may be expert tweeters and texters but are we losing the ability to make connections face-to-face? Spend time getting to know the people you’re working with and it will pay dividends. Find shared interests with people. Talking about the latest football scores or the X-Factor doesn’t make you seem unprofessional – just friendly.
LISTEN
Communication skills aren’t just about talking; listening is really important too. Check body language, give your undivided attention and don’t interrupt. Keep your opinions to yourself and make sure you also hear what’s not being said.
NETWORK ONLINE
If you meet someone interesting, keep in touch via LinkedIn or join professional online forums. But be careful – remember that posted comments don’t disappear overnight, and keep your personal and professional life separate. Keep Facebook for the social stuff and don’t add people you’ve worked with unless they are actually friends.
…AND MAKE THE MOST OF FACE-TO-FACE TIME, TOO
Networking isn’t just for ladies who lunch. Those who have done well in their careers will always have the ear of the person who matters so go out and meet people. If you accept an invitation to a meeting or event, read up on the people who are going to be there beforehand so you’ll know who might be attending and who might be useful in securing you a job.
WATCH THAT YOU’RE NOT OVER-CONFIDENT
If you come into an office assuming that everyone fancies you and loving the sound of your own voice, then nobody will take you seriously. Tone back the language, sit back, listen and pause before you speak to allow your brain to engage before your mouth.
BE AUTHENTIC
Authenticity is about having enough self-awareness to know what your strengths are and how to use them to your best advantage to get a job. Practice adapting to your new surroundings while remaining yourself. Whether you take on a challenging project or spend some time abroad, find out who you really are.
The Management Masterclass by Emma De Vita is published by Headline priced £10.99 and is available to buy in all good bookshops.