Talk at Schloss Torgelow: Mastering Applications & Interviews with Confidence

Imagine you had to spontaneously list the ‘great’ US presidents. Many know Abraham Lincoln, Bill Clinton, or Donald Trump… and a strikingly high number of them were very tall. The ‘shorter’ presidents, on the other hand? Often less present in collective memory. Coincidence? Not quite. Do you still know James Madison (163 cm) or Benjamin Harrison (168 cm)?

This is exactly where a psychological effect comes into play — one that also operates in job interviews: the halo effect, and specifically the height bias. Certain characteristics (e.g. height, attractiveness, a “coherent” appearance) lead people to quickly attribute competence, composure, or leadership to someone — before any content has been assessed. That’s unfair, but it’s reality. And that’s exactly why preparation pays off: those who understand how perception works can deliberately adjust the levers that really count: from appearance and dress code (red makes you seem likeable) to why “coffee” is often the smartest answer when offered a drink.

And that’s why this matters for you in the application process: you’re not just competing with applicants who have similar grades or skills, but often also with people who carry a prejudiced head start due to external factors — such as height or particularly attractive appearance. The good news: there are enough levers you can actively use to counteract this.

The solution is not to ‘pretend to be someone else’. The solution is to become aware — and then use the levers you can actively control: your presence, structure, preparation, language, questions, and even small details that make an impact in the conversation.

Exactly these mechanisms — and above all the practical adjustments against them — were the focus of my talk on January 19th as part of the career guidance program at Schloss Torgelow. In front of around 50 students, the session covered how to structure application documents, avoid typical mistakes, and leave a confident, professional impression in job interviews. As a partner company, we support Schloss Torgelow in making the step from school to apprenticeship or university tangible — offering practical insights you won’t find in any textbook.

Contents of the application talk

In total there were 101 slides presented in 45 minutes. It covered specifically:

1) Application is self-promotion — but with a plan

One of the most important messages: an application is self-promotion. That doesn’t mean ‘being loud’, but being clear: What can I do? What do I want? And why does that fit this position?

Those who answer that cleanly for themselves automatically write better application materials and come across as noticeably more confident in interviews.

2) Reality in the job market: relationships & visibility count

The slides contain a number that sticks with many: only about one in ten applications actually leads to an interview. A very large number of positions are filled through personal contacts. That’s no reason to give up — it’s a hint about strategy: networking, building personal relationships, visibility, and personal presence all matter today. In practical terms:

• Don’t approach companies only ‘cold’.
• Industry events, events, comments & meaningful outreach help more than people think.

3) You are your own brand ambassador — online too

A point many underestimate: recruiters Google. And fast. That’s why the recommendation from the talk was: once, research yourself in ‘guest mode’, check profiles, clean up or set them up deliberately.

It doesn’t have to be an influencer thing. It’s about a coherent impression: photo, content, tone, no embarrassing old baggage.

4) The most common application no-gos (and how to avoid them easily)

The second part covered typical mistakes that unnecessarily weaken applications — even though they’re easy to fix:

• Messy structure in application documents and lack of organization
• Arbitrary fonts / wild font mixing instead of consistent design (keyword: ‘font pairing’)
• Spelling & grammar (always makes an impression — unfortunately)
• Layout, styles, formats: small details decide between ‘professional’ vs. ‘thrown together’

Key takeaway: many rejections happen not because of ‘content’, but because of impact.

5) Cover letter: less ‘I’, more value

For cover letters: name the contact person, 3–4 paragraphs, pitch based on value.

And yes: companies know you use tools like ChatGPT — what matters is that your story & your value come through at the end.

A helpful mental framework from the slides: People, Processes (Products), Profit — i.e.: how do I support people, processes, or results?

6) CV, attachments & certificates: relevance beats quantity

For the CV, the guiding idea was: consider relevance for the job. This also includes clean scans (straighten them, correct grey areas) and easy-to-read attachments.

Two concrete recommendations for skill verification were mentioned: Google Zukunftswerkstatt & TutKit.com.

As part of the talk, examples of modern application templates and CV templates were also shown.

7) Job interview: halo effect, presence & the personal pitch

A strong section focused on the halo effect: people quickly attribute competence, composure, or leadership to us based on individual characteristics (appearance, voice, presence) — often before any content is even assessed.

Practical tips from this section:

• Dress code & well-groomed appearance as standard
• Confident presence (body language, ‘power poses’ as practice)
• The personal pitch: collect competencies & milestones and build a short, vivid story from them — then practice, practice, practice.

And very importantly: prepare at least five questions… not about work-life balance, but about the company and the role. That shows genuine interest.

8) Small finale with big impact: goals, routines, follow-up

The closing focused on ‘small changes with huge effects’: reading 20 minutes a day, videos, podcasts — and writing down goals.

This clarity makes a real difference in the application process — because you do less ‘something’ and more ‘targeted’ things.

Already the third talk — and great feedback once again

For me, this appointment at Schloss Torgelow was already the third application talk as part of the career guidance program. There is a news item on the Schloss Torgelow website from last year. Exactly such moments show how valuable continuous practical input is for students. All the more pleasing was the fact that after the talk, not only did many questions come in, but also direct positive feedback:

• “Great presentation and fantastic talk — top class!”
• “Super interesting and entertaining!”
• “Comes across as highly competent and helps in a relaxed style with plenty of humour.”

Thank you to all participants for your attention and the open Q&A session. Exactly these appointments are a real added value for us: not just to give back something, but also to keep our own perspective fresh — in direct exchange with people who are at the very beginning of their careers. We look forward to the next one!