Search online for “tips for job interviews” and you’ll find many of the sites offering the same advice: Dress appropriately, stand tall, speak clearly, pay attention, maintain eye contact, shake hands firmly, ask questions, show some enthusiasm—and bring a smile.
Some studies have demonstrated that first impressions are formed not in minutes, not even in seconds, but in the blink of an eye. In “How Many Seconds to a First Impression?” Eric Wargo reported that researchers showed participants photographs of unfamiliar people for less than a second, then asked them to judge that person’s character. Their answers strongly correlated with participants who underwent the same test without these time constraints. In other words, whether accurate or not, first impressions lead to snap judgments and quick conclusions.
