First Impression!!

Natasha Ang

Martina Videla Black

Ivan Singgit

Kathy Yuan

First Impressions!!

         Greetings fellow readers!! Have you ever wondered what makes a first impression or what is a first impression? Today we will be tackling a few of them

  

Let’s start out this post with “What is a first impression?”

Well, a first impression is the mental picture/impression that you get of a person upon meeting then for the first time. This picture/impression that we get about the person is usually a representation of how or what the person is like. For the most part these impressions can range from positive to negative and tend to last a long time.

For example, say you meet a person for the first time and at the time you were meeting them they were holding a cat. Your first impression could be that they love cats or own a cat, and you can go on through your life thinking that they are a cat person. That is your impression of the person, but the reality could be that the person hates cats and loves dogs, and the reason they had the cat was because they lost a bet and was holding the cat as punishment. 

How long does it take for someone to make a first and lasting impression?

Some researchers say that typically within the seven seconds a person will start developing an impression of you. Once the time frame reaches 30-60 seconds they have formulated an almost complete perception of you based on the impression.

How long do first impressions last?

There is no definite answer to this question because impressions work on a case by case basis, but I believe that usually first impressions last a long time. It has been my experience that bad first impressions linger longer than good first impressions and are harder to change once someone has a bad first impression of you. On the other hand good first impressions are easily tarnished and can sometimes lead people to quickly question their first impression of you.

Why are first impressions important?

First impressions are important because they help people gauge how another individual is. Are they nice, do they seem knowledgeable, are they a mean person, etc. Good first impressions also help people stand out to recruiters or business people and may potentially land you an interview, a job, or even a partnership. First impressions are a good time for you to go out and sell yourself

How can you make a good first impression?

The first thing you do when you meet someone is to greet them. This is the first step to making a good first impression, and is sometimes the most crucial step for establishing a good relationship. In a business setting the best way to start a good first impression is to greet them first instead of waiting for them to approach you. If you go out of your way to greet them, then most likely they will have a good first impression of you. Greetings around the world differ by culture and have a strong tie to the culture’s tradition and historical ties. For the most part the most genetic greeting is a hand shake. Most people seem to default to this greeting when faced with a unfamiliar individuals from different cultural backgrounds, but sometimes does not work when cultures prefer non physical greetings. In that case a wave should suffice.

Either way, greetings are an important way to set the tone when you want to set a good first impression. Not all greetings are the same, but making an effort to greet someone will set a better first impression than being too scared to try. Goodbye, and good luck!