Why handshakes are important

A hiring manager may review the quality of your handshake as part of how well you can represent the company to others. By working on your handshake before the interview, you can portray yourself as having more experience interacting with others in a professional environment. Your handshake can subtly express many of your personal characteristics and traits. Here are some qualities that a handshake can indicate during an interview:. The way you approach a handshake often shows how confident you are in an interview.

Many aspects of a handshake display confidence, including the strength of your grip, your level of eye contact and how vigorously you move your arm. You want your movements to be assertive and assured while also remaining aware of the other person. Your handshake also shows how personable and friendly you are when interacting with others.

While the actual handshake may not directly show your sociability, your body language connected to the handshake does.

When approaching the other person, smile and keep your other hand visible to show openness. To display friendliness during a handshake, greet them verbally and keep your grip stable, but not too tight. Many people see a strong handshake as a sign of leadership potential. Because a firm, confident handshake can build trust with people and leave a good impression, it can also lead to feelings of assurance in your leadership skills. This is especially important if you're interested in promotions, executive positions or advancing in an organization.

Here are a few tips you can use to improve your handshake before an interview:. Practice multitasking: Get comfortable with all the different elements of a handshake, including making eye contact, smiling, a verbal greeting and reaching out to actually shake hands. So without further ado, here are five tips for taking your handshake from awkward to awesome. Like anything, practice makes perfect. Walk around your office and shake hands with your colleagues. Practice introducing yourself in the elevator.

Or, even try it out on your roommates or family. It may seem silly, but everyone can use more practice in the art of handshaking, and it just might help you seal the deal with a client or job position someday. Originally published Feb 8, AM, updated February 08 Browse our open positions, find a job you love, tell imposter syndrome to take the day off, and apply. Logo - Full Color.

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Wood recommends going to networking events to pick up on these subtle but important differences. But sometimes, no matter how great you feel your handshake is, the encounter can still fail due to awkwardness on the other side. At the end of the interview or conversation, shake hands again as a way to seal the deal.

This way, the recruiter will associate the last handshake with confident statement from you, Wood says. Monster "Handshake" from mike abell on Vimeo. Thank you! You are now a Monster member—and you'll receive more content in your inbox soon. By continuing, you agree to Monster's privacy policy , terms of use and use of cookies. Preparation Gets You Hired.

May How Important is a Handshake? Tips and Interview Process. From the University of Iowa press release: Stewart said the researchers found that those students who scored high with the handshake raters were also considered to be the most hirable by the interviewers. What Should You Do? The corporate world can be a gross place.

Always maintain eye contact and supply a firm grip. Additional Links: Article in the Huffington Post.