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Making Great First Impressions
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Let's assume you're going to an interview and you want to make the best first impression. Keep in mind that others form up to 90% of their opinion about you in the first four minutes and that 60 to 80% of the impact you will make is non-verbal.

Here are nine Golden Rules to getting it right first time in an interview:

1. In the Reception Area

Remove your outerwear and give it to the receptionist if possible. Avoid entering an office with your arms full of clutter that can make you fumble and look inept. Always stand in a reception area — never sit. Receptionists will insist you 'take a seat' because when you do, you're out of sight and they no longer have to deal with you. Stand with Hand-in-Hand behind your back (confidence) and slowly rock back and forth on your feet (confident, controlled). If you arrive more than 15 minutes early and beeline for the reception area, your interviewer might feel rushed and you might appear desperate. If you arrive early, go to the restroom to freshen up or have an espresso and muffin at a nearby coffee shop. Ideally, you should check in five to 10 minutes early, and always be courteous and professional to everyone you meet ,you never know how much influence the receptionist may have on the hiring decision.

2. The Entry

Your entry tells others how you expect to be treated. When the receptionist has given you the green light to enter, walk in without hesitation. Do not stand in the doorway like a naughty schoolchild waiting to see the headmaster. When you walk through the door of the person's office, maintain the same speed. People who lack confidence change gears and perform a small shuffle as they enter.

3. The Approach

Even if the person is on the phone, rummaging through a drawer or tying his shoelaces, walk in directly and confidently with a smooth motion. Put down your briefcase, folder or whatever is in your hands, shake the person's hand and immediately take a seat. Let the other person see that you are accustomed to walking confidently into offices and that you don't expect to be kept waiting. People who walk slowly or take long strides convey that they have plenty of time on their hands, are not interested in what they are doing or have nothing else to do. This is fine for retired millionaires and those who live in Florida and Queensland, but not for anyone who wants to convey power, authority or capability. Influential people and those who command attention walk briskly at a medium pace.

4. The Handshake

Your grip speaks volumes. Offer a limp hand and your partner will think you're hesitant or meek. Give a bone-crunching squeeze and you can appear overly enthusiastic or domineering -- and it hurts! Keep your palm straight and return the pressure you receive. Let the other person decide when to end the handshake. Step to the left of a rectangular desk as you approach to avoid being given a Palm-Down handshake. Never shake directly across a desk. Use a person's name twice in the first 15 seconds and never talk for more than 30 seconds at a time.

5. When You Sit

If you are compelled to sit in a low chair directly facing the other person, turn it away 45 degrees from the person to avoid being stuck in the 'reprimand' position. If you can't angle the chair, angle your body instead.

6. Seating Areas

If you're invited to sit in an informal area of the person's office, such as at an informal coffee table, this is a positive sign because 95% of business rejections are delivered from behind a desk. Never sit on a low sofa that sinks so low it makes you look like a giant pair of legs topped by a small head - if necessary, sit upright on the edge so you can control your body language and gestures, and angle your body to 45 degrees away from the person. Avoid crossing your legs and don't adopt a casual pose, even if your interviewer does. Even if you're nervous, try not to fidget. Don't play with your jewellery, twirl your hair and try to maintain eye contact with the interviewer.

7. Your Gestures

People who are calm, collected and in control of their emotions use clear, uncomplicated, deliberate movements. Keep in mind that Eastern Europeans gesture more from the elbow down than Westerners, and Southern Europeans gesture more with their entire arms and shoulders. Don't use artificial gestures to supposedly heighten the importance of the issue. It will merely come off as theatrical. People very often don’t know what to do with their hands. It’s the best to let your hands lie loosely on your lap or place them on the armrests of your chair. Don’t fold your arms across your body because it can be interpreted as a defensive move.

8. Distance

Respect the other person's personal space, which will be largest in the opening minutes of the meeting. If you move too close, the person will respond by sitting back or using repetitive gestures such as drumming the fingers. As a rule, you can move closer to familiar people but further back from new ones. Men generally move closer to women they work with while women generally move further back when they work with men. Work closer to those of similar age and further back from significantly older or younger ones.

9. Your Exit

Pack your things calmly and deliberately - not in a frenzy - shake hands if possible, turn and walk out. If the door was closed when you entered, close it behind you as you leave. People always watch you from behind as you leave so, if you're a man, make sure you have shined the back of your shoes. This is an area many men neglect and women are critical of this.

When a woman decides to leave she will point her foot towards the door and begin to adjust the back of her clothing and hair so that she makes a good rear-view impression as she departs. Hidden cameras show that, if you're a woman, others study your rear as you depart — whether you like it or not. When you get to the door turn around slowly and smile. It's far better that they recall your smiling face than your rear end.

Vocabulary

Nouns (imenice):	Verbs (glagoli):
ladder – merdevine correlation – korelacija, uzajamna veza reception – prijem, recepcija outerwear - odeća clutter – haos, nered fumble – nespretan potez, nespretno rukovanje hesitation – oklevanje lack – nedostatak gear – brzina, odelo, oprema shuffle – vučenje nogu stride – dug korak pace – korak, tempo, brzina palm – dlan reprimand – prekor, kritika ploy – trik,smicalica frenzy – nekontrolisano ponašanje, pomama, bes armrest – naslon za ruke	reveal - otkriti assume - pretpostaviti clutter – pretrpati (nečim) fumble – petljati, preturati maintain – održavati shuffle – vući;mešati rummage – preturati, čeprkati stride – koračati krupnim koracima convey – preneti, saopštiti, izraziti, ostaviti utisak drum with fingers – lupkati prstima shine – očistiti neglect – zanemariti, zapostaviti depart – odlaziti make a beeline for - ići direktno ka nekome/nečemu fidget – uzvrpoljiti se twirl – vrteti heighten - pojačati
Adjectives and adverbs (pridevi i prilozi):	Prepositions and conjunctions (predlozi i veznici):
inept – nevešt, nepodesan, nevičan, neprikladan smooth – miran, uglađen briskly – žustro,brzo compelled – primoran collected – pribran limp – labav, opušten hesitant – neodlučan meek – blag supposedly – navodno	whereas – pošto, s obzirom na činjenicu

Synonyms

Nouns (imenice):	Verbs (glagoli):
ladder – steps correlation – link, relation, connection outerwear - overclothes clutter – untidiness, mess, disorder hesitation – reluctance, demurral, unwillingness lack – absence, shortage gear – clothing, wear, dress, clothes, outfit shuffle – shamble, shambling, shuffling stride – pace, step pace – step, tempo, rate, speed reprimand – censure ploy – tactic, move, trick frenzy – delirium, hysteria, craze, fury	reveal - show, display, bare, exhibit, unveil, uncover assume – presume, suppose, guess clutter – clutter up maintain – keep up shuffle – mix rummage – search, explore stride – march, walk, stalk, pace convey – reveal, relate, tell shine – sparkle, glitter neglect – disregard depart – leave fidget – fiddle, bustle twirl – rotate, spin heighten – intensify, increase, improve, strengthen
Adjectives and adverbs (pridevi i prilozi):	Prepositions and conjunctions (predlozi i veznici):
inept – incompetent, clumsy smooth – calm, sleek briskly – quickly, smartly, promptly, rapidly collected – calm, composed limp – loose hesitant – uncertain, reluctant meek – mild, modest supposedly – presumably, allegedly	–

Antonyms

Nouns (imenice):	Verbs (glagoli):
correlation – imbalance, disconnection clutter – order, organisation hesitation – confidence, belief lack – enough, success shuffle – rush pace – slowness reprimand – compliment ploy – ignorance, inactivity frenzy – calmness, harmony, balance	reveal - hide, cover assume - disregard,ignore clutter – clean up, tidy fumble – succeed, do well maintain – destroy, stop shuffle – arrange, clear up, organize rummage – arrange, organize, neaten convey – take, withhold, keep secret neglect – pay attention depart – arrive, come in fidget – be still, relax twirl – untwirl heighten - lower, weaken, diminish
Adjectives and adverbs (pridevi i prilozi):	Prepositions and conjunctions (predlozi i veznici):
inept – able, capable, competent smooth – excited briskly – slowly compelled – discouraged collected – upset, worried limp – firm, hard, rigid hesitant – decisive, confident meek – bold, brave supposedly – improbably, unlikely

Nouns (imenice):

Verbs (glagoli):

correlation – imbalance, disconnection

clutter – order, organisation

hesitation – confidence, belief

lack – enough, success

shuffle – rush

pace – slowness

reprimand – compliment

ploy – ignorance, inactivity

frenzy – calmness, harmony, balance

reveal - hide, cover