On March 12th 2014 the CyHRMA in collaboration with the Career Office of the Academic Affairs and Student Welfare Services of the University of Cyprus organized a presentation: “First Impressions – Professional Appearance and Behavior before and after the recruitment process”, at the University Campus.
Mrs. Maria Antoniadou, Administrative Assistant Accounts & Administration at Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd started the presentation giving advice on how candidates can effectively prepare for an interview, both in terms of professional appearance and in terms of the behaviors that should be displayed to future employers.
Mrs. Antoniadou gave examples like: preparation of possible questions/answers, guidelines for appropriate professional appearance (dress code, personal hygiene etc.), the importance of nonverbal signals like the handshake and of course the need for being yourself. Through these examples participants were able to get a clear understanding of what they can do to improve their performance in interviews and increase their chances of success.
In the second part of the presentation, Mrs. Chris Mathas, Founder and Managing Partner of Let’s Talk! Human Potential Ltd stressed that one of the core elements of a successful career path is our ability to create raving fans out of each and every one of our colleagues and customers, by being positive, polite, helpful, cooperative team players and avoiding gossip and negative organizational politics. She also stressed that at times in our professional career where we are unable to maximize our earning potential, we must ensure that we are maximizing our learning potential (If you can’t earn, learn!). Our ability to seek and exploit opportunities of continuous learning in the workplace is a key to our competitive advantage as professionals.
At the close of the presentation, students were given the opportunity to share thoughts and concerns regarding the various issues highlighted in the presentation, within the context of a friendly and highly productive discussion.
