The Right Image

You have spent years in school, thousands of dollars, and countless hours to earn your degree. Not to mention the money and hours spent studying and stressing over your state and national exams. Finally, you have completed everything. Now you are ready to get that first job as an athletic trainer! Woo-Hoo! It is a reason to celebrate and be excited, this is what you have been working for, you have earned it...so go get it!

You look online and see the jobs that are out there. You get that little voice of excitement when you see that job you want is posted, like it was fate. You call your staff athletic trainers at your college and they confirm that you are going to be happy at that job because they know the athletic trainer(s) that work there already and it is a good situation. You send in the resume, cover letter and all, and you get a phone call to set up an interview! YES! Then that little voice of excitement comes back in your head....what am I going to wear?

It is true. You only get one shot at a good first impression. If you just show up and think you are going to wing it, you may be winging it to the next job interview.

For many employers the first impression is EVERYTHING. Think about it. There could be 30+ people going after that same job, after all it is a really good job that is why you want it. What will set you apart from everyone else? What part of you do they see first? YOU!

"Do I need to dress in business professional when I interview? I mean I usually wear khaki pants or shorts and a polo shirt or t-shirt when I work everyday. That is acceptable attire for the job, why do I need to wear a suit and tie to interview?" I have been there. Trust me on this one, you want to look sharp. This is as much of an investment in your future as your education. If you show up looking less than memorable, then you might fall to the bottom of the pile. I know you do not have a lot of money to drop $500.00 on a suit or a dress. So shop the sales. You have a TON of khaki pants in your closet, get a matching blazer and a tie at a department store. It is better than showing up in anything less. Women, dresses or pant suits? That is up to you, but you need to dress for success. Dress does make a difference.

Have a firm handshake. When you arrive to the interview try to find a rest room where you can warm your hands under some warm water. There is only one thing worse than a limp handshake: a cold, limp handshake.

Have steady but not threatening eye contact. The expectation in America is to offer balanced eye contact. Too little and you seem to lack confidence. Too much and you're now intimidating the interviewer.

Smile! People do not want to hire someone that does not seem to want to be there. A sincere smile will show them that you want to be a part of their organization.

Turn your cell phone off during the interview. You are there to interview. Those text messages and phone calls can wait until you are finished with the interview. Placing the phone on vibrate is not a good idea because it will happen...there will be a quit time in the interview and you will actually hear it buzzing. Save yourself the embarrassment, just turn it off and leave it in the car.

Live your professional life knowing that everything communicates. How you use your name says more about you than you might think. The name Jeffrey is more formal than Jeff. When I fill out anything in a professional capacity from resumes and applications to injury reports and parent notes I sign with Jeffrey. If you place your email address as a contact on your resume, then have a professional email account. MrBiggieBaller@email.com will not get you many replies for interviews. There are plenty of free Internet email services to get a professional looking account.

Your computer world will have an effect on your professional world. We live in the cyber-world as well as the real world. Employers have the right to google your name and see what comes up. My Space, Face Book and other social network pages are fair game. If anyone can access them and see what you were doing with your buddies at a certain social event then anyone can make a judgement about you and determine if they want to hire you. Is it right? I do not know, but it is reality. It does and will happen.

Proper and polite language works! "Please," "thank you," "yes sir," "excuse me," can all show proper etiquette and that you pay attention to details. When the cell phone rings with an unfamiliar number on the caller id, remember that it could be someone calling to set up an interview so answer very politely and excuse yourself to a quieter location if your surroundings are too noisy.

You have worked so hard to get to this point...don't start slacking now! You are about to open a very exciting and new chapter to you life, give them a lasting first impression and you will do just fine.