You walk into the room and people watch you. There is an unusual atmosphere in it. And in seven seconds someone will decide if he wants to cooperate with you or never meet you again. Not much pressure on you, I suppose.
Handshake remains the universal currency of professional trust. Too soft handshake will tell people that you apologize for your existence. Too strong one will say you are obsessed with Wall Street movies. Make it two seconds’ long and strong enough to say: “I am here and I know what I am doing.”
Most people use too much or too little eye contact. They either stare at you like you are a serial killer or look on the floor in search for a lost contact lens. Triangle technique can help you. Look from one eye to another and then look at mouth. No laser beam eye contact, just warm one.
Even though you don’t have right to walk in the room, you have to walk in as though you had it. Stand with your shoulder width feet position and straight shoulders, but not military posture.
When you smile – smile with all your heart. Real smile wrinkles the corner of your eyes. Fake smile is as though you are smiling on the police mugshot.
Tell their name in the first thirty seconds. People love hearing their names more than almost anything else. And it costs you nothing.
Dress one notch higher than the people in the room. If they mostly dressed in jeans and tees, wear a blazer. If everyone wears suits, wear a better one. It shows that you are serious about it, but not overdressed.
The truth is that all of the things I mentioned were just preparations. Train it with your friends or in front of the mirror. Confidence is just repeated practice that forgot to be awkward.
Now go shake some hands.