How to make a great first impression at work

You may perhaps want to know the secret to achieving success at work. Creating good first impressions is very important, especially if it is the first day at work. This will help you get off to a wonderful and desirable start. According to behavior experts, it just takes a couple of seconds to evaluate someone in a meeting for the first time. This meeting will determine whether the person feels comfortable in the other person’s presence or not. People within this short time span get to see your body language, your dressing abilities, mannerisms, demeanor, and appearance. Once that person forms an opinion about you, be it good or bad, it is tough to change it. This is likely to establish the tone of your relationship.

Tips to create powerful first impressions

#1 Be presentable.

Physical appearance does matter in today’s highly competitive world. Those who are well-maintained & good-looking earn more favors than those who are not. But this does not necessarily mean that you have to spend a fortune or put in lots of effort. You just need to present yourself properly & in the right attire that is well-chosen for the occasion.

#2 Be on time.

Lame excuses for being late for the meeting is something that should be avoided. Rather, arrive early for your first meeting. This way, you can tackle traffic woes & other issues. Also, you can be in a good mood & put up the best smile possible.

#3 Be confident & open:

The other person is likely to check out your body language. So be careful to make the right moves. Actions speak much louder than words. Project self-assurance & confidence in yourself. Make eye contact, smile, stand tall, and greet the other person with a very firm, but confident handshake. This will also help the other person to become comfortable. It is quite natural for people to get nervous as they meet someone unknown for the first time. Avoid sweaty palms, ‘jitters’, or nail-biting habits. Do keep your nerves in check. This will help you to create the best first impressions.

#4 Be yourself.

Do not try to act being someone else. Be natural, as it will help you feel more confident. It will also allow you to earn integrity & respect from others & build trust & better relationships.

#5 Be positive:

Having a positive attitude will reflect in your body language, even when nervous or facing criticism. Be approachable with a smiling face & showing an upbeat manner.

#6 Winning smile:

Putting up a confident & warm smile on your face will others to follow. However, avoid going overboard as it might be seen smarmy & insincere.

#7 Be attentive and courteous.

You can good first impressions by being polite, courteous, attentive, polite & showing good manners. Avoid modern-day distractions like keeping mute your smartphone during face-to-face meetings. This way, the other person can have your full attention. Others will also reciprocate with you in a similar manner. You need to give 100% quality time & attention to your new acquaintance to win his/her favors. Otherwise, he/she is likely to feel irritated & feel less important.

#8 Small talk:

It is important to have conversations that need to be two-ways to develop any relationship. You can prepare some questions in advance on what to ask the other person. You can also take some valuable time to learn more about the person. It can be about his personal life, work-life, games, or other interests. This will help you to find something common between you two, which can improve conversation & relationship.

Since you have just a couple of seconds to make the first impressions, put in your best efforts.