IMPORTANCE OF GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION

First impression is the last  impression. Thus goes a well-known platitude. Many, doubting the veracity of the
statement ignore its force and face difficulties in life. Others harm or damage their chances of success in
interviews.

They are cocky about their merit. Hence, they think that they ignore the wisdom in this saying. In any case,
making a first good impression is a sure personality asset, not a liability. Therefore, it must be put high on the
list of personality plus points.
There are reasons for it. We have to interact with people. Man is a social animal. The impression we create and
leave on people trails us. We cannot escape it.
Our attitude to other people is more important than attitude to us. People take us as they find us.

If we are friendly and outward looking, interested and zestful, people like us and accept us. If we lack these
qualities, they tend to distance themselves from us. Positive approach makes it easy for us to get along with
others. Also, we leave a nice impression.

This has other advantages, too. We create social opportunities for ourselves by going out, meeting and building
bridges. Sharing activities forges chains of friendship. 

It is we, ourselves, who put strain on human relations. A foul-mouthed man, however attractive his physical
appearance, is bound to leave a bad impression. One who speaks a pleasant word obviously leaves behind a
pleasant impression. 

There is no need to be theatrical or over-dramatic. You are not a film star. In order to create a good impression,
it’s necessary to be natural and at ease. Let others see and meet the real you!

There is no denying the vital fact that, at heart, we want recognition, acceptance and appreciation. We cannot
isolate ourselves totally from others and lead a full and satisfying life. When we cut ourselves from others, we
become an island of isolation.

However, this does not mean that we should become crawling cowards and each and every action of ours
should be calculated to please others. When it is a question of self-respect or conviction, we should act
differently. That is rightly whatever others may think.

Yet, a major portion of our life is linked with the life of others. This cannot be helped. This naturally concerns
what they think of us and what they expect of us.
Les Giblin has put it: “A businessman wants business from other people. A husband and wife want love and
affection from each other. A parent wants obedience. A child wants security and love. A salesman wants other
people to sign their names on a dotted line. A boss wants loyalty, production, and cooperation. An employee
wants recognition.”

The burden of this argument is that people from various walks of life play a big role in our life. Though we
take this role for granted, yet, the fact remains that others do play a significant part in our success as well as
well-being.

Ladder of Success
The inference is: the youngster striving to go up the ladder of success in life must do all he can to make a good
impression upon them. That’s one way he gets their nod.
The impression that we first create on others may or may not matter but it counts. Opinions in the light of
experiences may change, but the first impression does stick.

Thus, it is important to cultivate it. It is better to present a front which cannot be challenged, rather than a front
which has to undergo a drastic change later, or at one stage after another. The front must be genuine. If it is a
fake, it will be seen through. No one can put on an act for all times. No one can fool all the people, all the time.

It implies that we have to be natural otherwise the impression is blighted. This means that our real self must be
winsome. This is what we must work on. Not the fake impression, which can be faulted.

Thus, we should strive for a face-lift of personality so that it has a winsome and magnetic influence on people
we rub shoulders with. We should strive to build the sort of personality which makes up an instant and pleasant
impact on those we come in contact with.

The first impression we make on others is of great consequence. Sometimes, we do have to revise our
impression. Even then the importance of the first impression does not lose its validity totally.

Many youngsters nurse the notion that they can act smart; that they can put on a show and get away with it.
One may say: “Today, I am meeting so-and-so. I will pull a fast one on him. How can he ever know it?” He
may succeed but he is likely 
to get into an act-pattern, which will eventually show him in poor light. Society holds and shows him the
mirror!  

What are the factors that go in making a pleasant and winsome impression? We pinpoint some. To this list, the
reader is free to add his own recipes, if any.

Appearance. A lady came to solicit my vote for the University Senate. She was dressed in white-blouse and
sari—matching her lily complexion, heightened by a dark pink lipstick. I was “stunned” by her appearance and
presentation. She knew the art of making lasting impression. She was elected. No wonder!

A strikingly well-dressed woman or man has an edge over others; at least so far as physical appearance is
concerned.

Now, think of the opposite and draw your own conclusion.

Not many have this edge because God has not bestowed on them the attributes of attractive physical
appearance. But it is all the more reason that we should strive to create impact we can. This means extra care
on neatness, grooming, cleanliness 
and posture that speak loud in our favour.

Assets should not be concealed. They should be revealed. They should be highlighted. This shows self-respect.
We cannot expect others to respect us if we count down our own selves.

Generate your own steam. It is one of the biggest assets we often ignore at much cost. Pleasant speech is the
hallmark of a winsome personality as it makes a nice impression. Otherwise people say, “He is nice so long as
he does not open his mouth.” A grating screeching voice spoils impression. Cultivation of voice pays
dividends.

Charming people usually have a friendly and cheerful voice. They convey amiability and warmth. Those who
have seen Raj Kapoor’s movies will concede that he had a magnetic voice, which contributed a lot to his
charisma

Words link us to others. They are useful instruments. They work both ways: they can create pleasantness, and
also cause offence. Sarcastic words, couched in acidic tones, go a long way in creating enemies. A colleague
known for his foul-mouth was nicknamed “cobra” for he was always hissing with his words!
Words and meanings similarly matter a lot. Quite often we take words and their meanings for granted. A friend
introducing me to a relative of his said: “Mr Soni is an upstart in writing.” What he meant was that I was
upcoming as a writer.
The tone too is important. A rasping, harsh tone dispels others. A whining one creates gloom. A cheerful
chuckle comes out as if pearls are falling out of a jar.

Genuine. Pretension of superiority or authority also repels people as no one likes to be made inferior. The
bossy ones are usually disliked, if not hated. The pompous ones become laughable. If you are laughed at, you
are making a scene not an impression.

In short, cultivate the art of speaking in tones calculated to attract rather than repel. Positives attract. Negatives
repel. For example: courtesy attracts; curtness repels.
Similarly, bad and misfit words and vocabulary go a long way in creating a question mark against personality.

Pay a compliment. Don’t be niggardly in doing so. There is a good way to compensate for this lack: listen
attentively to the person who is talking to you. He will be impressed. Listening attentively is also a
compliment. Refusal to compliment amounts to criticism.