“You never get a second chance to make a good first impression” (Forbes, 2014), a quote often attributed to Will Rogers, is a clever summary of the importance of making a good first impression good first impression. Most of the time we forget the power of making a good first impression and the role it plays in our daily lives. The impression we have the first time we meet a new colleague or acquaintance immediately influences how we treat them. “Only three seconds are enough to draw a conclusion about new knowledge” (Flora, 2004). Not much can be said in three seconds, so our nonverbal cues during the first meeting are extremely important. A bad first impression can be difficult to overcome. It takes time and effort to convince someone, like your potential boss, that you're not as hostile, exhausted, or frustrated as you initially seemed, and he might not care that you were having a bad day before your interview with him. Vanessa Van Petten (2011) discusses five ways to help you make your first impression great. The first is to set an intention. Before a deliberate first meeting, decide how you want to act and what impression you want to make. The second is to think about what you wear. Emphasize that it's not just what you say that matters, but also how you look. The third is to be aware of body language. Body language is usually subconscious, but by thinking about each movement you can control what you say nonverbally. His fourth point is to avoid bad days. That doesn't mean you can't have a bad day, but try to avoid making first impressions on those bad days. If this is not possible, try to improve your mood before the meeting. Finally, emphasize the need to be interested and interesting. If you poop... halfway through the card... the resulting effects can be difficult to overcome. Small, simple changes in your attitude and the way you present yourself can help you shine at the first meeting. The results will speak for themselves. References Clark, D. (2010). First impressions. Retrieved from Big Dog & Little Dog's Performance Juxtaposition: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/impress.htmlFlora, C. (2004). The first impression. Retrieved from Psychology Today: http://web.archive.org/web/20110220025155/http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200405/the-first-impressionForbes. (2014). Thoughts on the affairs of life. Retrieved from Forbes.com: http://thinkts.forbes.com/thinks/business-will-rogers-you-never-getPetten, V.V. (2011). 5 ways to make a killer first impression. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2011/11/02/5-ways-to-make-a-killer-first-impression/