Many of the people I meet are what I would consider to be an “ordinary” recruit.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  An ordinary recruit would be someone who is memorable and has a resume that is both applicable and informative.

However, some of the people I meet are what I would consider to be a “notable” recruit.  This can both be a good thing and a bad thing.  A notable recruit would be someone who makes a lasting first impression.  This first impression is key, in my opinion.

When it comes time to interview a recruit I will remember things like:  were you dressed for the part, did you show interest in our company, did you ask questions, etc.  To be on the positive end of “notable”, a recruit should be conscious that a first impression might be the only impression.

So, for all of you recruits out there…here are a few things that you should keep in mind when attending a career fair, meeting with a recruiter, or interviewing for the first time:

• Don’t wear your pajamas when you come to talk to someone.
• Be curious about the company, culture, type of work, etc.  You want to get an idea of what the company is and does.
• If you have a “goal” on your resume, make sure to tailor it based on who you are meeting with.  For example, if you are meeting with a software company – tailor it to software.  If you are meeting with a hardware company – tailor it to hardware.  Don’t have a generic “catch all” goal.  The only signal that sends to me is that you didn’t plan ahead.
• Spend 15 minutes to read over the company’s website before you talk with that company.  This is a great way to start up discussions – location, recent news about the company, company blogs, etc.  This is also a great way to show that you’re interested.

There are not any set rules, but if you were talking to me…these are the kinds of things that I would remember about a first impression of a recruit.