What’s the first impression you want to give people?
Did you know that a single glance at a person’s face is enough to form a first impression? Research shows that it takes between just 33–100 milliseconds for someone to form judgments about your character.
Such a short amount of time is clearly not enough to accurately gauge a person’s character. But it’s only natural for us to make assumptions about someone when we first meet them.
We also get attached to our initial impressions of others and find it difficult to change our opinion. Even when presented with contradicting evidence.
As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a great first impression.
Read on to learn why first impressions are so powerful and how to make a good first impression that will last.
It just takes a quick glance, maybe three seconds, for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your demeanor, your mannerisms, and how you are dressed.
With every new encounter, you are evaluated and yet another person’s impression of you is formed. These first impressions can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, and they often set the tone for the relationship that follows.
Always remember ” First impression is the last impression “
First impressions are the almost-instant conclusions we draw when meeting someone for the first time. We form this opinion by quickly taking in information about a person, including their face, dress, posture, and tone of voice.
How to Create a Good First Impression
First impressions last. Whether they are accurate or not, it normally takes a long time and concerted effort to change a first impression. Because they are largely subconscious, first impressions are very persistent. Even in the face of contrary evidence. Because of our implicit biases and cognitive biases, we see the world and other people through our own set of filters and make decisions based on them.
All of your relationships are affected by the first impression that you make.
If people’s first impression of you is that you are friendly, competent, and trustworthy, they are more likely to feel comfortable around you. They are then more likely to consider you a friend and open up to you. People you meet are also more likely to remember you and recommend you to their friends and coworkers. Because of this, making a good first impression impacts your networking. This kind of social capital can have far-reaching effects on both your personal and professional life. Other people will spread their good opinions about you.
If the first impression that you create includes competence, this will instill confidence in others of your abilities and skills. They are more likely to trust that you can perform the tasks assigned to you and achieve the goals that have been set. This can provide you with greater latitude in how you perform your tasks and achieve your goals. On their own, each of the above is a good example of why first impressions matter. When you combine their effects, a good first impression becomes even more important. Creating a good first impression can generate a lot of personal power.
A good first impression also tends to provide opportunities. Potential customers would be more likely to become actual customers. Referrals through networking can result in new job offers. And a good first impression can improve our chances of promotion when you’re evenly matched on skills and experience with other applicants.
10 tips for making a great first impression
- Make eye contact
- Have a Winning Smile
- Be on time
- Dress for the occasion
- Be authentic
- Be a good communicator
- Be empathetic
- Use positive body language
- Do your research and come prepared
- Act confidently
1. Make eye contact : Have you thought about eye contact as a skill? If you are an adult, you already know that using appropriate eye contact can be difficult, so it’s important to help youth think about eye contact as a skill they can continue to work on. Since eye contact can be tied to so many life skills, it’s important for our youth to practice and learn about eye contact as a communication skill. Consider for a moment using eye contact to show empathy, concern for others, to manage feelings or to help with communication. Those are all life skills that youth will develop as they mature into successful adults.
2. Have a Winning Smile : A smile is a very powerful gesture. When it’s spontaneous and winning, it reflects you. People are naturally drawn to people who smile genuinely. The term “winning smile” is the inspiration behind the work that we do at Winning Smiles Family & Cosmetic Dentistry because a perfect smile may not be enough, but a winning one makes all the difference in your game.
3. Be on time: Being on time for work is an essential quality that many employers desire in employees. Being punctual can help you appear professional, lower your stress and result in several other benefits. Therefore, arriving to work on time is a great way to improve yourself as an employee. In this article, we explain 12 reasons why being on time for work is important. Reasons why it’s important to be on time for work– Showcasing professionalism, Meeting deadlines, Reducing stress, Improving work relationships and teamwork, Maintaining productivity, Displaying leadership, Fostering a good public perception of you and your employer, Practicing time-management skills, Staying on schedule, Meeting your job’s requirements, Creating a positive image for future employers
4. Dress for the occasion: The dress code at a workplace and occasions is very important. The dress code represents your image and qualities as a professional. The dress code is also important because the first impressions gives a large impact in the future if he/she will meet the people for the second time, and we only get one and only chance to have a positive impression. First impressions are formed about how they dress on a particular situation. Being modest is one of the traits of being a professional, it is important to be recognize on your great works rather than recognized on how you dress and how you follow on the latest fashion. It is also important to be mindful on basic etiquette for wearing an appropriate attire. Following dress codes especially on business is a dress to success. And in the future if we became an employee or employer, we are the one who will represent the workplace of a company. The dress code standards are different in different kinds of company or occasion. The importance of dress code cannot be ignored. A true professional respect’s his/her workplace’s rules like dress code. Personal expression must give justice with the rules inside the company or in the workplace.
5. Be authentic: When a person is authentic, it means that they act in ways that genuinely show how they feel. They do this rather than putting on different faces around different people, or tailoring their personality based on context. Personal authenticity is the daily expression of your core beliefs and personality.Speaking your opinions honestly in a healthy way. For this
Making decisions that align with your values and beliefs, Pursuing your passions.
Listening to the inner voice guiding you forward, Allowing yourself to be vulnerable and open-hearted, Setting boundaries and walking away from toxic situations.
6. Be a good communicator : Though we often think that speaking or writing are the main components of communication, listening is a vital factor in good conversation. A good communicator will wait to listen to the other person or people they are interacting with, consider what they have said, and then respond appropriately, Skilled communicators often share characteristics that allow them to use written, verbal and nonverbal communication effectively. Here’s a list of qualities that successful communicators often have: 1. Good listener, 2. Concise, 3. Empathetic, 4. Confident, 5. Friendly, 6. Observant, 7. Appreciative, 8. Polite, 9. Organized, 10. Sincere, 11. Good judgment, 11. Good judgment, 12. Respectful, 13. Consistent, 14. Retentive, 15. Inquisitive, 16. Honest, 17. Reliable, 18. Proactive, 19. Reflective.
7. Be empathetic : People’s feelings, energies, emotions, actions, and thoughts highly affect an empath. Empathic people can deeply understand any person that confronts them and can tune into other people to understand them on a deep, emotional level. In fact, empathic people also adopt the feelings and emotions of others — unknowingly. Here’s a list of qualities that successful empathetic person often have: Cultivate curiosity about strangers, Challenge prejudices and discover commonalities, Try another person’s life, Listen hard—and open up, Inspire mass action and social change, Develop an ambitious imagination.
8. Use positive body language : A positive body language helps the person to be more assertive and assists in putting his or her opinion forward more easily than the others. Positive body language is liked by other people and hence, the person carrying a positive body language gets more attention and favor in any discussion. Here are 10 points to help you keep your body language positive -: Posture:Keep a relaxed posture whether you are sitting or standing. Keep your back straight but not stiff and let those shoulders relax. This will reinforce the idea that you feel comfortable with your surroundings.Take up space: You do not have to sprawl out but try sitting or standing with your legs apart a bit. This will signify to others that you are at ease with yourself. Lean: Leaning in slightly when someone is speaking demonstrates that you are actively listening while leaning away signals that you are disinterested or hostile to the situation. Arms: Crossing your arms is the visual clue that you are turned-off by what is going on around you. Practice hanging your arms comfortably at your side or bringing your hands together in your lap to show others that you are open to what they are communicating. Hands: Talking with your hands is an easy way to incorporate gestures into your conversation but be careful not to make it a dance party. Emphasizing words with your hands can lead you to appear more credible and assured. Handshake: The handshake is one of the most important nonverbal communication cues because it can set the mood for the entire conversation. A firm handshake will give you instant credibility while a weak handshake will make you appear fragile. Take care not to crush the other person’s hand though. Giving someone a death grip will signal to them that you are a bully or overcompensating for something. Eye contact: Keep your head up and look the person who you are having a conversation with in the eyes both when they are talking to you and when you are talking to them. There is no need to stare them down and remember to blink and look away occasionally. Good eye contact lets others know that you are interested in the conversation. Affirmative movements: You can show empathy with simple actions of agreement like nodding your head or smiling. These actions let people know that you are on their side and that you can identify with their plight. You can even use laughter when appropriate.
9. Do your research and come prepared : Doing some basic research can help you understand the context and environment that you will be in. It can help you dress appropriately and guide you to the formality of language that will be suitable. You may also discover information about other people you can use to start a conversation with them. Preparing beforehand will make you feel more at ease and will also show that you are interested and focused. At its simplest, research planning involves the four distinct steps outlined below: orienting yourself to knowledge-creation; defining your research question; reviewing previous research on your question; and then choosing relevant data to formulate your own answers.
10. Act confidently : feeling sure of yourself and your abilities — not in an arrogant way, but in a realistic, secure way. Confidence isn’t about feeling superior to others. It’s a quiet inner knowledge that you’re capable. Confident people: feel secure rather than insecure.And confidence inspires confidence: People are likely to believe you and follow your lead if you confidently present yourself. People think more negatively of politicians or other leaders who do not appear confident.