Matriculants: How to make a good impression in your first job interview

With the end of the year drawing to a close, Grade 12 students all over South Africa are experiencing sleepless nights as they furiously cram for their matric finals. What many don’t realise is that the worst is yet to come: the job market for matriculants is worse than ever as many companies are focusing on job retention rather than expansion, due to the economic climate.

Neil de Beer, Director of Dale Carnegie Training South Africa, says: “The job market is flooded with job-seeking matriculants at the beginning of every year, and only four out of every ten will find employment. It is crucial for matriculants to brush up on their interpersonal skills before they start job-hunting, as these are the attributes that will set them apart from thousands of other hopeful applicants.”

Dale Carnegie Training offers a course for matriculants called “Generation Next”. Through integrating Dale Carnegie’s tried and tested principles for success, school-leavers are equipped with the necessary skills to enable them to confidently enter the job market. “Matriculants will not have much on their CV’s, so whether or not you are hired will be based almost solely on the impression you make,” says de Beer. “These principles, when successfully applied, will enable you to better your chances of landing that coveted job.”

Dale Carnegie Tips on how to make a good impression in a job interview:

• Presentation counts

And this does not just meaning dressing neatly and appropriately. It means smiling. It means being polite and courteous. It means using the interviewer’s name when addressing them. By presenting yourself properly you will make a good first impression and it will also help you to feel "the part”.

• Fake it till you make it

Feeling nervous or having a bad day? Force yourself to act confident and enthusiastic and you will be surprised at how quickly you begin to feel those things. By acting a certain way we trick our minds into mirroring those emotions, allowing us to make a better first impression.

• Avoid negativity

Whatever your thoughts on a certain person or topic - if it is negative - keep it to yourself. Employers look for positivity, and by criticising, condemning or complaining - no matter how justified - you will appear unenthusiastic and negative. This translates as an employee that brings down the team morale. No one wants to hire that.

• How will appointing you benefit the company?

You need to be able to clearly define what you can bring to the table. Do your research and understand what the position would entail, and then explain how, based on your own unique strengths, you could make a positive contribution to the company in that role. Companies are mainly concerned with how they can increase their success, so by explaining to your potential employer what you can add to the company you will have improved your chances ten-fold.

For more information on the Generation Next course, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit Dale Carnegie.