Impression Management and the Power of Your Handshake
Impression Management and the Power of Your Handshake by Constance Harriet, Guest Author on August 25, 2014 From previous experience, I have learned that the first impression can make a significant impact on the tone of the rest of a job interview. It has also been documented that handshakes influence first impressions; see our Power of a Handshake article. Indeed, handshakes can influence whether the people we meet trust, like, or want to work with us. Bernieri and Petty (2011) took this a step further and examined the links between impressions and perceived traits that convey something about one’s professional work ethic. These researchers found that a well-rehearsed handshake can convey traits such as conscientiousness and extroversion without using words. Employers who are looking for employees that are detailed-oriented and thoughtful about their work may look for employees who reveal conscientiousness in their handshake, wherea...
