Listen to my discussion with Philip Clark (and guests) from ABC Radio, on Nightlife’s Body Language episode. In this article, you can also find out what I do to conquer pre-interview nerves and the fear of public speaking.

Most people know from personal experience how powerful a smile can be within communication and relationships. So much so, that it drives them to smile politely, even if they aren’t feeling positive. Having the ability to create a positive experience for others, just from smiling, is profound. But even more powerful, are the beneficial effects on oneself, in terms of health and wellbeing.

Over many thousands of years, our ancestors have relied on nonverbal communication cues like body language, expression and tone of voice as a survival mechanism, to gauge whether an outsider was friend or foe. It was a matter of life or death. What is their intention towards me? Are they carrying a weapon? Are they capable of harming me? Today, we face less risk, yet we still make snap judgements, assessing everyone we meet. How are you perceived by others and what can you do to create feelings of trust?

Research shows that first impressions are formed within seconds–before you speak! They tend to be lasting as your future performance is typically enhanced or tainted by the initial perception. If you’re freaking out at this, don’t, because by putting a little extra effort into how you look and how you come across nonverbally, you can positively influence perceptions. This article provides six tips to make a great impression.

At your next job interview, important interaction or when meeting people the first time, leverage from this innate characteristic, that's universal across all people, regardless of culture. When you switch your thinking and use this characteristic as an opportunity, you can disproportionally sway the perception of the interviewers. They will view you more positively, increasing your chance for job interview success. Hone your interview skills with our Perth events–Interview with Impact for Job Interview Success.

In this post, we focus on first impressions–how important are they and why? And how this relates to you and your personal presentation. We touch on two related concepts, confirmation bias and impression updating.