The importance of a good first impression can never be overemphasized. Just as the saying goes “We never get a second chance to create a good first impression.” This saying further helps to explain the importance of a first impression and how much we need to make it a good one. Once we fail to make a good first impression, we may never get the chance to right our wrongs again.
According to Shonna Waters, ” 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”.
While our first encounter with people may not be the only determinant of the nature of our relationship with them, it does go a long way to determine what the relationship will look like in the long run.
A good first impression, when created, can land you your dream job, attract people to you, and help in relationship building with new people. The importance of a good first impression can never be overemphasized, as we are mostly judged and subsequently relate with base on the first impression.
According to scienceofpeople.com, research shows that most people make a first impression of a person within 7 seconds. Experiments by Princeton researchers even suggest that people can make accurate judgments of others within 1/10 of a second.
Here are a few steps on how you can create a good and lasting first impression with new people.
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Express interest
As human beings, we inherently develop likenesses for people who are interested in us. Showing interest in someone you are meeting for the first time will go a long way in creating a good first impression. You can show your interest in them by paying adequate attention to their talk, complimenting their looks, and maintaining eye contact. Putting a simple smile on your face during first-time interaction with people also plays a big role in creating a good first impression.
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Dress appropriately
“The way you dress is the way you will be addressed” quote is one of the most accurate concepts when it comes to a good first impression. People will mostly judge you based on your appearance. In your attempt to create a good first impression, you must understand that there is a dressing for every occasion. The best clothes for dinner night may not be the right ones to put on for a job interview.
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Avoid using foul language
How would you feel when the person you are meeting for the very first time uses foul language? Definitely, you will feel bad. This is why you need to be conscious of the nature of the language you address people with. Every human being craves respect; treating them otherwise, especially while meeting them for the first time, will only help to create a negative first impression that may take forever to mend.
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Ask relevant question
If you are meeting your employer for the first time, then asking relevant questions will help create a good first impression of you in the mind of your employer. You should not be afraid of asking questions. Being inquisitive will help to project you as someone willing to learn.
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Avoid interruption
Interrupting people while they speak is considered to be a rude act in most people’s cultures, especially Africans. Interrupting people while they ta is a form of disrespect. When meeting someone for the first time, try to avoid the urge to interrupt while they speak.
How to recover from a bad first impression
Despite our efforts to always create a good first impression when meeting new people, we sometimes don’t achieve it due to some circumstances, and we end up creating a bad first impression. To recover from this, we can follow some of the tips listed below
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Ensure a better second and subsequent impressions
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Don’t dwell on the first bad impression
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Admit your mistakes and apologize if necessary
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Seek advice if necessary
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