By Mike Spinale, Triumvirate Environmental
 

The Receptionist.  Also known as the gatekeeper; your first point of contact at a company, and also the company's first impression of you.

For some reason, some people treat the Receptionist differently than they might a manager or an executive in the company. But when you come in for an interview, the Receptionist has a lot more power than you might think they do.

Conventional wisdom tells us how important it is to make a good first impression, and the Receptionist is the first person at the company with which a candidate interacts. Moreover, they can be the key to your success! As a hiring manager, I ALWAYS ask our Receptionist what she thinks about a candidate she has met.

Did they:

• come in demanding coffee,
• speak to her in a curt or rude manner that demonstrated an air of superiority?
• or did they treat her with respect, asking her how her day is going and making pleasant small talk with her?

The way someone interacts with her tells me a lot about the candidate and whether or not they would fit in with our culture. 

Originally published on Triumvirate Environmental, on September 1, 2010 

Making a good first impression is an important aspect of finding your career in the environmental sector. Not only is it a good idea to be curtious and respectful to a company's staff members, but ECO Canada also suggests being prepared for the interview component as a whole.

Not sure how to improve your skills? Check out ECO Canada's helpful interview tips