Shebudgets
You always want to make a good first impression no matter if the occasion is a job interview, meeting new people in a friendly setting or something more serious such as meeting your boyfriend’s parents for the first time. It is a good idea to always look your best and be on your best behavior but when you know you are facing an occasion where everything about you matters, there are certain things that you should avoid wearing or ways you should avoid acting so that you are sure to make a positive first impression. You only have one chance to make a first impression.
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1. Unkept nails
Life is so busy and keeping up with your manicure is just one more thing on an already hectic to do list. But having unkept nails make a bad first impression. They give the first impression that you do not keep up with yourself well and that you let yourself go. They look messy and do not give the neat, polished look you would no doubt prefer to have. It is best to stay on top of your manicure and take care of any little chips immediately. If your time is spread so thin that you cannot manage to keep up with a manicure, go for a more natural look. Short, clean, bare nails are preferable to chipped old nail polished nails.
2. Wrinkled Clothing
Most people do not love to spend hours ironing each week. But wrinkled clothing makes you look rumpled, untidy and as if you don’t care what others think of you. It does not help you to make a good first impression. Neat, wrinkle free clothing looks neat and pressed. If you simply cannot chain yourself to your iron for the amount of time it takes to have pressed clothing then take other steps to avoid wrinkles. Fold and hang clothing fresh out of the dryer. Hang the outfit you have chosen for the day in the bathroom when you shower. The steam will help the wrinkles to fall out.
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3. Showing Too Much Skin
While there are times that dressing sexy is fun and welcome, occasions where you are going to be meeting someone new are not those times. Showing too much skin will not help you to make a good first impression. Aim for something tailored in a color that suits you best. There is also a difference in dressing with a touch of attractive and dressing in an outfit that would be considered provocative. It is best to consider the occasion and people that you will be with when choosing your clothing.
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4. Poor Grammar
While none of us can have perfect grammar all of the time, we should strive to speak in a way that makes us appear intelligent and educated. Even if you do not have a high level of education, that is no excuse for poor grammar. Using incorrect grammar is something you can fix on your own. More than likely, you are aware of some of the grammatical errors you already make in speaking and can fix them simply by being more conscientious. Using good grammar will help you to make a good first impression.
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5. Improper Use of Cell Phone
Cell phones are a wonderful invention that gives us a world of convenience at our fingertips. Cell phones are also often improperly used. We get so wrapped up in the all the features we have in our cell phones that sometimes we use them at the wrong times, such as when we are trying to make a positive first impression. Texting and surfing the internet while conversing with people is rude under any circumstance, especially if it is your first meeting with someone. You can avoid making a bad first impression by avoiding committing this faux pas.
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6. Applying Makeup In Public
Of course you want to look your absolute best when you are meeting someone new or going for an important event such as a job interview but you should not engage in applying your makeup in public. This is considered very improper and is distracting to people. This is not the way you want to make your first impression on someone. If you need to repair your makeup, excuse yourself and go to the restroom. If you simply must peek in your compact to check your makeup, do it as discreetly and quickly as possible.
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7. Having Hair In Need Of A Trim Or Roots Touched Up
We do know that it is hard to make it to the beauty shop regularly for a variety of reasons. Can’t get an appointment, you don’t have a babysitter, lack of funds and many other reasons. But taking care of pesky roots or uneven ends is important and greatly improves your image. When your hair looks good, you will feel good about yourself and your confidence will be much higher. Feeling
confident about your appearance will help you to make a good first impression. Taking care of your hair is a high priority to make the best first impression.
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8. Wearing Pajamas Out Of Your Home
This one should be a no brainer. You are not going to make a good first impression on others when you present yourself in attire meant only for the bedroom. Even if the event is a very casual affair, showing up in pajamas is a very poor choice that will result in making a poor first impression. Use care in choosing your clothing for the occasion. It is fine to go casual if you are going to a casual event. A good rule to remember, though, is that it is always better to be a little overdressed instead of under-dressed.
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9. Having Dirty Hair
Ladies, we have heard it all of our lives. Letting our hair go dirty is very good for our hair. It is healthy for hair to not be washed every day. But a lot of people simply cannot get by with this because of their hair type or texture. If you can, that is great for you. But if you cannot, then you need to wash your hair daily, especially for occasions where you want to make a good first impression. If caught in a pinch with dirty hair and facing a situation where you need to make a good first impression, then putting your hair in some sort of up do is a good solution.
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10. Cursing Like A Sailor
Cursing is not attractive, especially not when you are trying to make a good first impression. While you may choose to engage in this behavior while with your friends or peers, you definitely do not want to take part in this when meeting new people. Cursing can make you appear unprofessional and disrespectful, especially if you don’t know the individuals well you are speaking in front of. At the very least, try to curb this habit when in social or professional settings where you will be making a first impression.
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11. Displaying Loud, Aggressive Behavior
Assertiveness can be a very good quality to possess but if it goes past the point of being careful of tact and the feelings of others, it has gone too far and would be called aggressiveness. You should always be careful to not act in a way that would offend others including being aggressive or loud. Any way of behaving that calls attention to yourself in a negative light is not attractive and will not aid you in trying to make a good first impression. Always strive to be polite and cautious of the feelings of others.
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12. Having Poor Posture
It turns out we should have listened to mom when she told us to stand up straight. Not only for the health of our spine and body alignment but standing up straight can help you to make a good first impression. Having good posture helps you to look more confident in your dealings with others and it also makes you look slimmer, a feature many of us ladies long to be. Poor posture makes you look easily intimidated and timid. Try to get yourself in the habit of standing and sitting up correctly. This will go a long way in helping to make a good first impression.
13. Blowing Bubbles Or Snapping Your Gum
Blowing bubbles with your gum or snapping your gum are going to give others a bad first impression about you. It makes you appear immature and ill-mannered. It also is a distraction to others that they will not appreciate you for. It is fine to enjoy your gum but do so quietly and carefully so that you are not a bother to others. Mints are really a better choice to have in a time you are headed to a social or professional event. Many professionals even advice their employees to avoid gum and choose mints in the workplace.
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14. Wearing An Overwhelming Amount Of Perfume
Perfume is meant to enhance you, not overtake you completely so that it smothers others that come within feet of you. The key to wearing perfume is to know when enough is enough. Not only might your fragrance be something that is not appealing to others but it could be irritating to them, especially if they suffer from allergies or respiratory problems. You only want someone to smell your fragrance if they come in close enough for a hug. Since exactly how much that amount is is hard to figure out, ask someone close to you how close they must come to smell your fragrance.
15. Having Bad Manners
Poor manners make a bad first impression on those we are meeting for the first time as well as making a bad impression on everyone around us, regardless of how long we have known them. Some part of having bad manners might be unintentional; for those instances, you can learn about what qualifies as good manners from books at your local library or the internet. Other instances of bad manners are simply a habit you have fallen into that you must break on your own. It is something you can change and will help you to make the right kind of impression.
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