5 Ways to Impress Your Job Interviewer In the First 90 Seconds

"You finally snagged an interview for your dream job, so obviously you've studied the company, and you can talk for days about why you'd be a perfect fit. But it turns out that 33 percent of bosses will determine whether they're going to hire you within the first 90 seconds of meeting you, according to a survey by Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and HR technologies. Want to ace the interview? Here are the five top tips from the pros."

"You want to impress, so you should wear the best suit in your closet, right? Actually, if you're wearing a suit and everyone else in that office wears leggings and flannel, then it's a dead giveaway that you're not going to fit in with their team, says Steven Rothberg, president and founder of College Recruiter. If you're unsure of what to wear, you can ask. Also, different people within the same organization may dress differently. Higher level people may dress in suits, while lower level people may be dressed casually, so you'll want to be dressed as well or slightly better than the level for which you're interviewing so that no one will feel uncomfortable. Sixty-five percent of interviewers say that clothing choice could be a deciding factor between two nearly identical candidates, Come Recommended's survey found."

"This doesn't mean to arrive too early, says Brandi Britton, district president of OfficeTeam, a staffing service specializing in administrative and office support professionals. "Plan to show up five to 10 minutes before your interview time," Britton says. "Arriving any earlier than that may catch the hiring manager off-guard and make them feel like they're expected to drop everything to meet with you ahead of schedule." Factor in time to get through the office building's security and the elevator system so that you're not late, either."

First impressions have major hiring impact, with roughly one-third of employers forming hiring decisions within the first 90 seconds of meeting a candidate. Dress should match workplace norms rather than impress with overdressing; candidates should ask about appropriate attire and aim to dress at or slightly above the level of the role. Clothing choices can decide between nearly identical candidates for many interviewers. Arrive five to ten minutes before the scheduled time, accounting for building security and elevators. Treat every person encountered politely, since interactions with reception, security, and staff influence employer evaluations.

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