Enthusiasm in the First Impression.
Enthusiasm; It's projected in your CV, cover letter, voice, attitude, body language, clothes - everything. Unbelievably, we still find people that look good on paper, but when we make contact they sound uninspired and unconvincing with no idea what they want to do!
It's so crucial that you make a good impression as brief moments of contact can count for so much. One of the first things any consultant or employer will ask is - what do you want to do?
If you don't reply with at least a confident idea of areas you are looking at it would be fair for them to question your ambition and ultimately think - why is this person applying for jobs if they haven't worked out what they want to do?
The Perfect Elevator Pitch
You may or may not be familiar with this term but an "elevator pitch" is a phrase to describe when you literally have 20 seconds to sell yourself or product. You never know who you may meet and when, it’s therefore important for an individual going through their transition from military to civilian life or if you’re seeking a new opportunity, to have this pitch as its a vital selling tool which you must perfect.
Your content should outline who you are, what you do and why you're good at it. Ultimately the use of this pitch will make you come across as confident, focused and your passion unquestionable - a very important characteristic for employers trying to avoid the people that are looking at their industry as a second or third choice. You could also use this as your opening personal statement on your CV.