You only get one chance to make a first impression and in the area of law, it’s important to ensure it’s a positive one. Here are some tips on doing so.
#1. Be Positive
People are usually drawn to friendly and positive people because they leave you feeling at ease. This is why it is easier to connect with people close to you when you show a positive attitude in your body language and conversation. When greeting new people, make sure you have a genuine smile on. When having a conversation, try keeping it positive or neutral topics. While it is normal to want to a good moan, the first couple of minutes or hours after meeting someone is not the best time to bring up the negative energy by talking about your problem and grievances.
Try to remember that if you’re in an interview, they already feel positively about you. You’ve followed the top 10 resume writing tips, and they’ve read your resume. They want to know more about you. Answer their questions with a positive attitude.
#2. Body Language
There are studies showing that about 80 percent of communication done is through body language, and this means people are going to get an impression about you before you even start talking. If you want to create a good first impression when meeting new people, try maintaining an “open” body language – like angling the body towards the person you are talking to, uncrossing your legs and arms – this will end up making you look more relaxed, approachable, and open to conversation.
#3. Paying Attention
This can sound obvious, but it is very important when it comes to making a good first impression. It will help you look more interested and engaged in what the person talking to you is trying to say. Instead of coming up with a list of conversations topics or questions you are going to talk about or ask, consider listening to what they are saying then tailor your responses according to the information they have provided you with. You don’t have to gather a lot of information enough to fill Wikipedia, just try to recall the things they have talked about and use their name when talking with them because it is a sign that you are interested in what they are saying and you are paying attention.
#4. Being Unique
If you are interested in making a good first impression, then it can be a good idea to stand out from the rest because you are giving other people something they will remember you for. Instead of choosing conversation topics such as traffic and weather, try revealing something about you that is memorable or unique. If you have a hobby, question, or anecdote that is interesting, find a way of sneaking it into your conversation. You can prepare in advance a story that you can use in sharing this information, but you need to be careful because you need to make it seem unrehearsed and natural.
#5. Asking Questions
Nerves tend to make people start acting in strange ways. There are people whose nervous chatter get triggered when they meet new people, while others will clam up. If you feel anxious when you meet new people, you can deal with such problems by preparing some questions you are going to ask them. This will help you dominate the conversation. People like talking about themselves, and this gives you the chance to win them over because they will like your listening skills and thoughtfulness. This gives you enough time to take a breath and feel comfortable with the conversation. In order to keep the conversation going, use open-ended questions.
#6. Making Eye Contact
Maintaining eye contact when nervous can be a challenge, but if your eyes are all over the room, the other person will think that you are no interested in what they are saying or looking for a way to get away, which will negatively affect the conversation and create a poor first impression. Maintaining eye contact with the other person for a long period of time is also not a good idea because it can be too intense, especially if you don’t know each other well. There is an effective way of maintaining eye contact without seeming uninterested or too intense. The triangle method is one of the best options. This is where you glance from one eye to the other, then to the mouth. Repeat the process over and over again.
#7. Showing Your Sense of Humor
People are drawn to people who are able to see the humor in different situations and able to make them laugh. You don’t have to be a comedian, but keeping the conversation light with smiles and laughter here and there is enough. Cracking a joke can be an effective way of starting up a conversation. The humor you choose should also be appropriate, avoid dark humor because it can easily scare people.
#8. Finding Common Ground
One fact to keep in mind is that you will not always hit it off with everyone you are going to meet, but it always helps when you find some common ground with the other person. Whether it is in the form of a hobby, common interest, mutual acquaintance, or sense of humor, having something in common will go a long way in helping you connect with new people. The conversation will flow better. You should never try feigning common interest because you are desperate to bond with them because they will find out.
#9. Doing Your Homework
If you are going for a business meeting or job interview, make sure you do a little research on the company before going. This will help you enter the room properly prepared. Doing your homework will help you know more about the meeting, and this will help you determine the most appropriate dress code and language. You will be able to make a good first impression when you are armed with knowledge.
#10. Do Not Overthink
While it is a good idea to invest time and effort in preparation, you should not overthink because it can easily end up working against you. If put too much effort in impressing, you can end up seeming inattentive and nervous. You will be distracted from what other person is saying. Give a little thought to your impression then change and start focusing on your immediate environment. No one is going to analyze your behavior as much as you do.
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