The human brain is fascinating, don't you agree?

The more we understand, the more efficiently we can communicate.

One useful aspect of human psychology when it comes to job applications is confirmation bias.

As humans, we're all subject to this bias, because it's more efficient for our brain to agree with (confirm) an existing opinion, than to take in new information and consider changing its mind.

This is why first impressions are crucial.

You don't want to send recruiters and hiring managers into your application without a sense of direction, to form an opinion from information they piece together along the way. Instead, you want to guide them down a path of your choosing, starting with critical points of first impressions.

Here's where to do it:

• In your cover letter: position yourself as a highly relevant candidate and build rapport in the first two paragraphs
• On your CV: lead with a professional profile (3-4 lines) highlighting the parts of your background that reflect the kind of candidate they are looking for
• In your description of duties: start with your overarching, relevant responsibilities, positioning your experience in that job as relevant for the role

If you manage to make a good first impression (i.e., conveying a relevant profile early), confirmation bias will be on your side as they go through the rest of your application.

Wishing you many strong first impressions in your job search!