Creating Great First Impressions

First impressions matter. Whether you're walking into a meeting, interview, or negotiation, you need to know how to instantly build rapport. Luckily, the ability to make a lasting first impression isn't an innate skill; there's actually a science to it.

In this course, Vanessa Van Edwards—lead investigator at Science of People, a human behavior research lab—shares research-backed strategies that can help you make the first few seconds of any interaction count. Vanessa dives into the body language that is essential to an engaging first impression, the vocal cues that help you sound confident both in person and on the phone, and the best opening lines for sparking a great conversation. Plus, get tips for changing dull small talk into a lively and memorable conversation.

Learning objectives

• Cite some shortcuts to a great first impression.
• Define a thin-slice.
• Summarize what people who meet you for the first time are trying to determine.
• Explain the importance of the perfect handshake.
• Recall the characteristics of an excellent opening line.
• Describe ways to become a better conversationalist.