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By Randy Siegel

Conveying confidence, competence, and a positive attitude are critical to creating first impressions that motivate interviewers to take a second look. Dress, demeanor, and message are the primary determinants for communicating these attributes.

Think back to a blind date, or when you first met someone new. Chances are that within four seconds you knew if you would like the person or not. It's called the "four-second window," and how we dress and present ourselves often determines if the window will be thrown open or nailed shut.

Dress to Impress

When I ask human resources executives to list ways we can make more powerful first impressions, they almost always answer first with "dress." Clothes may not make the man or woman, but they do convey a message. To project a professional image, consider these suggestions:

• Don't buy clothes, invest in them. Invest in at least one power suit that makes you feel great.
• Find a clothing store and/or salesperson you can trust. Also, find a good tailor or seamstress. Proper tailoring is as important as the quality of the clothes you wear.
• Pay particular attention to the condition of your shoes. Check the condition of heels, soles, polish, leather, and shoelaces before going out.
• Dress for the place. Choose your wardrobe to match the region, company, and person with whom you are meeting. In recent years, casual dress became a standard for most businesses, but this is changing. More and more offices are adopting more formal modes of dress.

Looks are important in creating positive first impressions, but I believe even more important is how we make others feel. We can help others feel comfortable by:

• Being the first to smile.
• Identifying ourselves first and leaning forward.
• Extending our hand, or offering a "handless handshake," where we do everything we would do in extending our hand, but don't.
• Repeating their names.

The eyes have been called the "windows to the soul," but all too often we don't take the time to really look at other people in the eye and connect. We may look at someone while we are talking, but we aren't really present. People with presence are present. One tip I give clients for becoming more present is to look into other people's eyes and notice their eye color.

Experts abound on the subject of proper business dress, grooming, and presence, yet the best advice comes from one of my seminar participants: don't let your clothes detract from your message. She suggests looking into the mirror to see if anything stands out; if it does, take it off or change it. She is right. We want the focus on our message, not our clothes.

Defining Your Unique Selling Proposition

One of the best ways to convey confidence, competence, and a positive attitude is to plan ahead. Not only should job seekers thoroughly research the company, they should have a prepared message. I call this message a unique selling proposition, or USP. A USP contains the three attributes, skills, or talents that separate you from your competition.

When I was interviewed by one of the country's largest public relations agencies to open and build its Atlanta operation, I clearly stated that I offered three attributes no other candidate could offer:

1. I had a proven track record of attracting and winning new business.
2. I enjoyed a strong reputation in the public relations community that would help attract top talent.
3. My personal values were consistent with the company's mission, specifically, putting clients first.

My focused message worked; I was awarded the job out of more than twenty-five candidates.

What three attributes separate you from others in your field? Perhaps it's your business contacts, educational background, or your ability to influence, motivate, and inspire. Maybe your education or training gives you an edge. Maybe it is your years of service in your industry. Whatever your unique selling proposition, be sure to inventory case studies, examples, stories, or other proof to support your claims.

"Having a unique selling proposition helped me feel more confident in the interview," one client reported. "I knew that no matter what I was asked, I was prepared with an answer."

I suggest communicating your unique selling proposition at least three times during the interview: once at the beginning of the interview, then as you answer the interviewer's questions, and finally at the end of the interview. Listen closely to how the interviewer describes the job. You may need to adjust your pitch based upon the job qualifications.

In conclusion, credibility and likeability are keys to making winning first impressions. We can communicate credibility by dressing sharp, making good eye contact, and being prepared with an agenda that includes our unique selling proposition. And we can become more likeable by helping the interviewer feel comfortable in our presence.

"The Career Engineer," Randy Siegel, helps clients electrify their careers and transform their lives by becoming high voltage communicators™. Whether training, coaching, speaking, or writing, he encourages people to fearlessly stand in their power by becoming the full expression of all they are. Randy is the author of "Stand in Your Power!," a monthly eNewsletter that is available at http://www.powerhousecommunications.com.

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