How to make a lasting first impression

This post is based on a column from Harvey Mackay:

How important are first impressions?

First impressions are lasting.  Once a first impression is made, if it’s less than great, unfortunately it takes a long time to change it.  

Experts say it takes between five and 15 seconds for someone to form a first impression about a person.  According to William Thourlby in his book “You Are What You Wear:  The Key to Business Success,” the first time we meet someone, we’re trying to size them up.  People look at socio-economic status, level of education, social position, level of sophistication, economic background, social background, moral character and level of success.

There are many times where it's important to make a good first impression. Even though this list is aimed at making a good first impression on the first day at a new job, most of these can also be applied to meeting with a new client, showing up at a networking event or even a first date!

Quite possibly, one of the most important and terrifying times to make a spectacular first impression is when you are interviewing for or starting a new job.  

The first day of a new job can be exciting and nerve-racking at the same time.  Even if you never plan to leave your current job, you’ll probably be promoted or switch to a new position at some point, and the experience will be much the same.  There are some guidelines for relieving some of that stress on day one that you should keep in mind.

• Don’t be late. 
• Learn the lay of the land. 
• Master people’s names. 
• Bring your lunch. 
• Smile. 
• Restrain your instincts.  

I wrote about this before...also based on a Harvey Mackay post.

But what happens if despite your best efforts, you end up making a bad first impression? What can you do now? Is there a way to "fix" a bad first impression? According to an article in Business Insider, it's possible...although not easy.

Let's face it though: Snot and pizza are facts of life, and bad first impressions are bound to be made.

Even if you do everything right during your first encounter with someone, you may have snot in your nose or a pizza stain on your shirt!

But here are a few things you can do to change someone's impression of you:

1. Allow them to reinterpret your behavior more positively
2. Remind them of the importance of fairness
3. Make yourself indispensable
4. Get to know them better
5. Have a trusted source present positive information about you

A great way to reinforce a good first impression or even to start repairing a bad one is to follow up with a nice to meet you card. A card is a great way to show your new contact how conscientious you are by taking the time to send an actual, physical greeting card through the mail as opposed to dashing off a quick email.

Even though most job hunting books still recommend sending a thank you card after a job interview, few people actually do it.

Here's an excerpt from an article at Job Hunt:

The Value of Thank You(s)…

Of course, a lot of job seekers think that writing a thank you letter is a waste of time, and hopefully the job seekers you compete with have that attitude -- because it is wrong.

A recent CareerBuilder survey showed that 22% of employers are less likely to hire a candidate who does not send a thank you, and 91% like being thanked, according to an Accountemps survey*. So, you can be pretty sure that sending a thank you note won't hurt your chances at the job.

Let’s look at the value of this thank you:

• Impresses employers with your follow-through.
• Shows courtesy toward the interviewer.
• Shows your understanding of professional courtesy.
• Conveys your interest in the position.
• Provides you an opportunity to get back in front of the employer again, in case you have faded from the memory of an employer who met too many people too quickly
• Allows you to introduce information that you neglected to mention in the interview.
• Allows you to clarify anything that you don't think you communicated well during the interview.
• Demonstrates your skill at written (or emailed) communications.
• Meets your competition so you don't lose an opportunity simply because your competitor sent a thank you.

In the end, you have much more to gain than to lose by writing the thank you notes. And, if you don't write the thank you, you may blow the opportunity nearly 25% of the time (yikes!).

Shouldn't your chances of getting a job be based solely on your qualifications? In an ideal world, but a lot of other factors figure in...including personality, appearance, or even the way you speak. But let's look at an extreme example. Two identical twins apply for the same position. They look exactly alike, dress alike, talk alike and have an identical education. Everything is the same except one sends a thank you card after the interview. Which one do you think will get the job?

I'll be glad to talk to you about how you can use nice to meet you and thank you cards to help elevate your first impressions. Email me at rick.tompkins@yahoo.com.

Interesting days

Today - Boss/Employee Exchange Day, Hot Cross Bun Day, No News is Good News Day, Patriot Day and Make Your Bed Day

Tomorrow - Chocolate Milkshake Day and Video Games Day

Next Monday - Cheeseburger Day, Respect Day, Water Monitoring Day, First Love Day and Hug A Greeting Card Writer Day

October 11 - Pet Obesity Awareness Day, Emergency Nurses Day, Take Your Parents To Lunch Day and  Coming Out Day