Blog Post:
First Impressions
Have you ever heard the expression ‘’you don´t get a second chance to make a first impression’’? In fact, research has indicated that we only take seven seconds to draw conclusions about someone we already meet. In our daily lives we see a lot, hear and learn a lot, they shape up our beliefs and perceptions, it’s why exists myths that you’ve been told and heard about first impressions and it´s why other factors matter more than you think. Your body posture will have a big role when it comes to first impression. The way you walk, the way you keep your posture, the way you look confident and your attitude is crucial to make good first impression.
First myth – You must smile
A big smile displays confidence, friendliness and positive feelings, and when you meet someone a genuine smile transmits that the person is trustworthy and authentic. But exists differences between a trusty smile and a forced one. Because a true smile not only depends on the lips, it will be your yes and your face expression with your smile that will communicate the emotions behind the smile. Studies have indicated that a smile is the most memorable feature after meeting someone, but a constant smile could become artificial like you can get tire of a person just because he/she can´t stop smiling. It´s the same of having no facial expression, and if you don´t change it could look fake.
Second myth – Take up space
Relation a little bit this topic with our classes, we learned that our posture is important to influence our brain to fill more confident, powerful and less stressed mainly about body gestures. But if you do it too much your message can be lost in the middle of your gestures, and don´t forget everything that is excessive is bad. In this case, if you do big gestures through a conversation, you may come across as overbearing.
Third myth – You have to dress up
No one can deny that we always judge/read people about the way they dress, like we stereotype people because of their clothes ‘’It´s hippie’’, ‘’It´s gothic’’. And we also know that appearance and image have a big impact in first impression. The thing it´s not about being clean and good looking, the thing is not to be so material in order to think that people will like you just because you wear brand clothes. I think that more important than that is people be impressive about your personality without before creating stereotypes with the clothes you’re wearing.
Fourth myth – Nail the small talk
People get used to not be themselves when they knew people, and the myth is about not to talk too much in order to don´t look like something. But in an interview it´s not all about knowledge and yourself, it´s good to show social skills mainly in a networking conversation you can get more personal and achieve better results if you do comments about the other person, talking about something that catch your attention about the person or his/her space. You also have to be clear, direct and honest in order to show why you´re there and what you can give to the conversation so your receptor can realize that you have serious things to contribute with.
Fifth myth – Stay positive
Being positive is the best way to achieve something, like ‘’fake it until you believe it’’ but in all conversation your listener can think that you aren´t a rational person or that you just have one opinion about problems, you may sound like someone who favors the superficial over the complex. However, relation this with the last myth it´s great to say something positive about the other person.
Conclusion – The solution
To finish it, and talking a little bit about interpersonal skills class, we have talked about the way we criticize each other’s and that exists a positive way to do it, like you can tell someone to improve something and at the same time give compliments. So, in my conclusion what I will do it´s that, I already told you why to avoid this myth in first meets and now I want to talk about what to do in order to nail in a first impression.
Know your audience; be confident, yet coachable; cut to the chase; show your personality and character are the main topics on how to nail in first impressions.
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