That said, though, having the skills needed to present yourself in the best possible light is a good life skill to have. You might not want to work in a place where this is necessary to get hired, but it is always a good thing to be able to make a good impression when you have to.

I've always felt that applying for a job is just like dating. You have to make a perfect initial impression, followed by actually delivering the goods when you've got the foot in the door.

In dating the further 'making an impression' is from my mind the better it goes. I think this is true of most encounters. Trying to be perfect will just make you tense. Relax and be yourself. No one's expecting perfect. The less you try to sell yourself the better you come across.

Yeah, if you look like you sell yourself, you'll just appear desperate. You can still put an effort into making a good impression, though. But I agree that it's better when it comes naturally.