You have probably heard the phrase, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” A lot of people are guilty of judging people based on the first impression. But how accurate is this? Imagine a timid person in a room of extroverts; chances are that person would be considered pompous. Or a qualified individual shows up for an interview in the wrong outfit; chances are that the person may not be interviewed.

Your first impression helps determine whether you are genetically inclined to be trustworthy or compassionate. There are many scenarios where an individual loses opportunities based on failed attempts at creating good impressions. They are collected “within only a few hundred milliseconds” and are often based on the person’s facial appearance.

So, whether you like it or not, you either judge or are judged in a millisecond of meeting a person. This happens because they are built on aesthetics. Your brain associates certain physical traits with specific personality traits. Hence, the term ‘dress the way you want to be addressed’.

According to Sage Publications, the author says:

“Many important decisions are made after very brief encounters — which job candidate to hire, which person to date, which student to accept. Although our first impressions are generally accurate, it is critical for us to recognise when they may be lacking.”

First impressions are important.

However, they aren’t accurate. A lot of people who are sweet and kind are misunderstood because they look rugged physically. Therefore, to make the best impression, scrap the physical appearance and move on to communication.

In actuality, talking to an individual can say a lot more than the physical appearance. But the physical appearance is the ‘first’ thing a person sees. Therefore, make your first impression count and prepare for the best by preparing for the worst.

It’s simple: a first impression may not be the best impression, but they do matter.