First Impressions:  Episode 2

Cheeky Employee

You asked and I am a generous blog.  This is the second episode of the First Impressions post.  There is so much more to making a good first impression than confidence and body language and below I shall supply some more insights into this always-relevant topic.  Everyone wants to be respected and well-liked and especially in that order.

Flirting with Danger:

Ever notice how the generic ‘flirting advice’ and ‘how to make a good first impression’ tips are very similar?  ‘Make eye contact’, they say, “Have an open and approachable posture” they say.  The arbitrary ‘they’ never tell us how to not come across flirty instead of friendly.  This is not what you want, whether you are a man or a woman, if you want be a respected part of the team.

Do – make eye contact to show that you are trustworthy.

Don’t – linger.  Try to shift your gaze between the people in the room, if there are more than one, and never stay locked in on someone for too long.  This may come across flirty or even creepy.

Do – come closer for a handshake or introduction so as to minimize distance physically and emotionally.

Don’t – intrude on anyone’s personal space, especially if they cannot see you coming.  Read your audience.  If there is a desk between you and them, it may be there for a reason.  If you do cross the invisible boundary briefly, get back over to your side.

Don’t – play with your hair.  This is a tip mostly for women, but it is done subconsciously because of nerves and can make for a disastrous first impression.

Not about you

Have you ever walked away from a conversation and thought, “Wow, I’ve just told that man my whole life story.  He even knows about my childhood dog and I can’t even remember his name.”  This might be a sign that you need to focus more on your listening skills.  Ask a question for every question you answer.  People are selfish, use that to your advantage.  Let them talk about themselves and if they happen to come to some existential epiphany you’re bound to be on a memorable page in their good books.

Even a job interview is not all about you.  It’s about a possible future relationship between you and the company.  Focus on that relationship, the mutual benefits that you both stand to gain should you get the job.

Special shout out to: Nollo, Jared and Declan for the support!  Once again this topic seems to be the well that never runs dry.  So many angles and so many things to consider.  If you are still interested, I would love to give you more.  Let me know down below.