CaptBob
04-08-2006, 01:12 PM
Question: When I go into a interview, should I take the time and go shake each one of their hands? Thanks Adam
One of the raters will usually come out, escort you into the room, and introduce you to the other panel members. As you stand up wipe any clammy sweat off your hands on the back of your pants. Don’t try to turn your self inside out trying to remember their names (they are often on cards in front of them). Let the panel members initiate the handshake. As you’re introduced, look the rater in the eye and give a firm handshake.
I spoke to a group of volunteers who were mostly aspiring firefighters
recently. As I was greeting several members before I started, I shook
hands with a big strapping lad who had firefighter written all over him.
He had that kind of firm handshake, smile and focused eye contact that
can cause an oral board panel to want to hand him a badge.
A few moments later I turned to shake hands with another big guy. His
handshake didn’t carry the same message. The big problem was he didn’t
know. No one had told him. I had him go over and shake hands with the
first guy. They worked on it for a few minutes and he returned with a
more confident handshake.
The following is from Work Your Network, by Joe “Mr. Network” Pelayo
http://www.josephmichaels.com/book/book.shtml :
A UCLA study found that when 2 people meet
for the first time they make 20 distinctions about each other in the
first 20 seconds, then spend the next 20 minutes finding out whether or
not they were right! The same study found that a handshake is worth an
hour’s conversation between two people, because handshakes are thought
to be a judge of your character.
When shaking hands with a female rater don’t wait for the high beams to
come on in her eyes because of too much pressure. Just match the
pressure in her handshake. At the end of the interview they will
usually stand and shake hands again. Same eye contact while thanking
(by rank if you know) them for the opportunity.
Use that handshake to make the right first impression.
One of the raters will usually come out, escort you into the room, and introduce you to the other panel members. As you stand up wipe any clammy sweat off your hands on the back of your pants. Don’t try to turn your self inside out trying to remember their names (they are often on cards in front of them). Let the panel members initiate the handshake. As you’re introduced, look the rater in the eye and give a firm handshake.
I spoke to a group of volunteers who were mostly aspiring firefighters
recently. As I was greeting several members before I started, I shook
hands with a big strapping lad who had firefighter written all over him.
He had that kind of firm handshake, smile and focused eye contact that
can cause an oral board panel to want to hand him a badge.
A few moments later I turned to shake hands with another big guy. His
handshake didn’t carry the same message. The big problem was he didn’t
know. No one had told him. I had him go over and shake hands with the
first guy. They worked on it for a few minutes and he returned with a
more confident handshake.
The following is from Work Your Network, by Joe “Mr. Network” Pelayo
http://www.josephmichaels.com/book/book.shtml :
A UCLA study found that when 2 people meet
for the first time they make 20 distinctions about each other in the
first 20 seconds, then spend the next 20 minutes finding out whether or
not they were right! The same study found that a handshake is worth an
hour’s conversation between two people, because handshakes are thought
to be a judge of your character.
When shaking hands with a female rater don’t wait for the high beams to
come on in her eyes because of too much pressure. Just match the
pressure in her handshake. At the end of the interview they will
usually stand and shake hands again. Same eye contact while thanking
(by rank if you know) them for the opportunity.
Use that handshake to make the right first impression.