Making A Great First Impression (Member Sub.)

Your first impression at a job, date, or a social scene, can literally make or break you.  You can say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing or just simply not know how to act.  This can be a devastating way to start off, don’t be that person, don’t be pegged as “that one guy that made an ass of himself!”

Step 1: Dress the part
You have got to make yourself look presentable!  Showing up at the office in a ripped up Slayer t-shirt and spiked collar isn’t going to be the best way to get that corner office!  Then again you might not be working in the corporate world, still even if you got the crap shift flipping patties at the local McGreasies you still don’t want to make your first impression a bad one with the guy who writes your paychecks.   Just remember to dress the right way for the right circumstance.  Don’t go out to the bar in your church clothes, dress it up a little, strut what you have, try to be a bit flashy without being the center of attention.  This can be done by something as simple as just putting a little gel in your hair, or throwing on some jewelry, just prim yourself up a little.

Step 2:      Saying the right things
This is crucial, you can have any appearance you want but if you say the wrong thing, you can be forever branded as “that jackass”.  Try to stay away from jokes right off the bat, get to know who you are around, what things they laugh at, and what jokes they don’t.  You want to be that funny guy they all want to hang around, not the oddball who makes cancer jokes!  Get a feel for the situational conversation before you start interjecting with whatever is on your mind.  Don’t start babbling on about the Yankees if they are talking about politics, don’t try to grasp the reigns of the conversation, just follow up with what you know, and if you don’t know anything about the subject, keep your mouth shut!  If you get asked a question and you have no idea what the answer is just say something to the effect of “I’m staying out of it!”  or “I don’t like to discuss politics/religion/global conflict/polar bear dancing.

Step 3:   Making your exit gracefully
This is quite simple, know when the part is over, and don’t be lingering around for no apparent reason, also leaving slightly early makes it look like you are a busy popular guy who is just booked up with social engagements.  If this is in the work environment, don’t just peal out of the parking lot like your running the indie five hundred, don’t think that your boss isn’t watching you when you punch out at the end of the day, he knows which people cant wait to head for that door and which ones actually make sure they  have everything done, this is good for getting ahead at work if you look like an overachiever.

Well nice meeting you, just remember, play it cool calm and collected and you should be making lasting great impressions.