First Impressions

• I really do believe that self-confidence is something that others are aware of in us. If you’ve got self-confidence, or you don’t, it will show! Others will see it, feel it, and sense it! Even though we may not be able to actually see self-confidence, it is presented in lots of subtle ways to the people around us. When you first meet someone, that person has no way of knowing if you have self-confidence, if you are good at what you do, if you are intelligent, or if you are a good person, etc. Therefore, they rely on cues to help them form opinions about you.

First Impressions

• Don’t forget…You have only 30 seconds to make a first impression! And if you blow the first impression, it takes approximately 20 additional encounters with that person to undo what you messed up the first time! If you are going to make a good impression on others, you have to know the cues people use to help them form that first impression.

1. Eye Contact

• This is an indicator of position and reflects a sense of self-confidence. If you don’t look at me, I don’t trust you! If I’m interviewing you for a job and you can’t look at me, you don’t get hired! Of course, you must go by the rules of your culture. If it’s wrong to look your dad in the eye, don’t. But when interviewing for a job, eye-contact is critical.

2. Posture

• Posture serves as an indicator of position. It’s also important that I lean slightly in toward the person I am greeting. That conveys that I am warm and caring person.

3. Handshake

• Be sure to grip firmly, putting your thumb firmly around the other person’s hand. Don’t use any “jive” handshakes when you’re really trying to impress someone! At school you can get away with it, but someone working for me better not try it with one of my customers. And folks, don’t overdo a handshake by using two hands like you’re patting them!

Do this:

Not this: