First impressions are important. Some people think that doing well in interviews is the key to securing a good job.

Most people try to make a good impression when they meet others, especially in

work

situations. While I accept that it is important to come across well in a job

interview

, I disagree with the idea that

interview

performance is the decisive factor in the recruitment process. There are two main reasons why candidates seek to make a good

first

impression in job interviews.

Firstly

, interviews are a great opportunity for applicants to demonstrate competence to a potential employer. They can do

this

by answering questions well and by describing relevant

work

experience

.

Secondly

, interviewees realise that it is important to come across well on a personal level, in order to build rapport with the interviewer and show that they can become part of his or her team.

This

is why positive body language, including eye contact, smiling and a firm handshake

,

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is essential in the

interview

situation.

However

, I would argue that qualifications and

experience

are more important than

interview

performance. Qualifications are an essential prerequisite for employment because they show whether or not the candidate has the relevant knowledge for the position. They can

also

tell the interviewer something about the applicant’s character, in the sense that good grades are usually achieved through persistent focus and hard

work

.

Similarly

, a person’s previous

experience

tells the employer how prepared he or she is to start

work

.

For example

, a teacher who has taught in schools for several years is unlikely to need the classroom management training that a recent graduate may require. In conclusion, I believe that qualifications and

experience

are the keys to securing a job,

although

good

first

impressions at the

interview

stage can

also

help.