8 Tips For Making A Memorable First Impression

1.  Be On Time - A surefire way to hurt your first impression is to be late. Plan ahead and give yourself ample time to get to a meeting or appointment.  It is better to be early than even a few minutes late.

2.  Smile - A confident smile can go a long way to making you and the person with whom you are speaking feel more at ease.  Just make sure that you do not take it too far.  You want your smile to look warm and sincere.

3.  Dress For Success - Cliché as it might seem, you really do want to dress to impress.  Your clothes, your hair, your hygiene are all factors that most people will remember and use as a basis for their initial judgment. While the workplace is becoming more casual and less stringent about dress codes, it is always safer to overdress than shoot low.  You can always leave the jacket behind, ditch the tie and roll up your sleeves if you find yourself entering a more casual setting.

4.  Have Good Body Language - You might not even be aware of it, but your body language is very important for a first impression.  Be cognizant of your nervous habits and try to curb them.  Having good eye contact and a strong handshake are also always a good idea.

5.  Remember Someone's Name - Another way to show that you are paying attention, as well as help learn and memorize a person's name, is to pepper its use into the conversation whenever you can.  Each time you include a speaker's name, you establish certainty of your participation in the discussion, personalize the moment and help make yourself more memorable in the process.

6.  Put Your Listening Skills To The Test - First impressions are not one-sided interviews.  They are opportunities for whoever you are meeting with to gauge just how quick you are on your feet and how genuine your interest is.  Drifting thoughts or distant gazes tell a speaker that your attention is elsewhere, which is insulting and leaves a poor first impression.  Be sure to add questions or comments into the conversation to demonstrate that you are paying attention.

7.  Leave Humor At Home - As tempting as it may be to slip in a bit of humor or crack a joke during a first impression, do not do it.  It is one thing to be light-hearted, but humor is a fuzzy area.  What one person perceives as an innocent thought or comment, another might find offensive or just plain rude.

8.  Take Part In the Conversation - Whether it is a job interview or random conversation on a long train ride, all of the skills listed above contribute to what the other party in a first impression scenario wants most from you: To show interest.  Almost every job interview ends with the interviewee asking the candidate whether they have any questions.

Executive Summary:  It does not matter if you are a recent hire at a business or the new CEO for some Fortune 500 company -- first impressions are very important and are often what defines you for months to come.  Therefore, heed the advice listed above to make the best first impression possible.  Dress for success, speak clearly, listen attentively and be wary of humor too soon.  Follow these tips and you will be well on your way to success.

Courtesy: Dale Carnegie® Training Newsletter.