Workplaces have changed drastically over the decades but one form of professional currency has seemed to keep its value: the handshake.<\/p>\n
The effect of a handshake is two-fold. First, it tends to be the platform for the other party\u2019s initial estimation of you \u2013 the power of a first impression comes into play here, says recruitment site Glassdoor.<\/p>\n
Second, a handshake is a form of non-verbal communication, which, experts say, tells a lot more about who you are than what you say.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe non-spoken word is such a big part of communication,\u201d said Dr. Christa Arnold, an associate professor of communication at the University of North Florida. \u201cTouch is so significant. It talks louder than words.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the handshake is the end-all for your employer or potential employer\u2019s estimation of your character and personality, it does present the dual-edge scenario in which you can help or hurt your standing.<\/p>\n
Because the shaking of hands holds this importance, it has been the subject of all types of valuation across the decades. Time has generated truths and falsehoods about the handshake, a few of which our experts examined.<\/p>\n
Fact: Shaking Hands Is Your Chance to Express Confidence, Respect and Happiness<\/strong><\/p>\n Arnold says the handshake is such a powerful interactive tool because it involves, especially in the workplace, elements of power, reputation and confidence.<\/p>\n \u201cHow you touch someone, whether it\u2019s a shoulder tap or a handshake, is going to speak volumes about you and the perception of you,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s how the handshake is so important and touch is so important.\u201d<\/p>\n Arnold pointed out the handshake holds so much value because it\u2019s actually comprised of three different forms of body language: hands touching, eye contact and facial expressions.<\/p>\n Each one of these gestures says something about who you are.<\/p>\n The handshake, she said, is an avenue to express your confidence. The amount of eye contact you make with the person with whom you\u2019re shaking indicates respect.<\/p>\n And, she said, your facial cues express how happy (or unhappy) you are to be in the particular work scenario.<\/p>\n Fiction: The Stronger the Handshake, the Better the Impression<\/strong><\/p>\n Lest you find yourself thinking handshakes should be brute and soaked in the bourbon-laden mystique of Mad Men, experts say an overpowering handshake is never a good thing.<\/p>\n Dr. Jude Miller Burke, a psychologist, author and leadership\/executive coach, said you\u2019ve done something wrong when you shake someone\u2019s hand \u201cand leave them wincing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s really obvious when someone is doing that on purpose,\u201d Miller Burke said. \u201cI think it shows a lack of self-confidence when you overdo it with the handshake.\u201d<\/p>\n Arnold agrees on this point, noting that a forceful handshake can also exhibit arrogance.<\/p>\n \u201cComing in too strong is as big of a mistake as coming in submissive, in my opinion,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople don\u2019t like cocky, either. They like for you to be confident but not cocky. There\u2019s a bit of a fine line there.\u201d<\/p>\n She went on to say that you have to find a balance between timidity and being commandeering.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t want to be full of yourself, but you don\u2019t want to be in a position where you\u2019re unsure,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Fiction: Handshakes With Women Should Be Treated Differently<\/strong><\/p>\n Gone are the days when social rules demanded that women offer a delicate hand during a handshake.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the past 50 years, there\u2019s been a big gender switch as it pertains to handshakes. It used to be that women were supposed to give a light, soft handshake. We were supposed to be gentle,\u201d Arnold said. \u201cThat has changed.\u201d<\/p>\n While some workplaces may be mired in antiquated treatment of women in the workplace, men and women should always come into a situation with a firm, confident handshake.<\/p>\n Also, Burke said, men meeting a female who is their senior in age or position should never assume they can add a shoulder touch to a handshake when there is no pre-existing relationship.<\/p>\n \u201cOne mistake men make is that, even though a woman is their senior in age or status, a man will be overly familiar with his physical gestures and that can be really disrespectful,\u201d she said. \u201cIn that situation, what you have is a younger man who is trying to assert dominance \u2026 it\u2019s arrogant.\u201d<\/p>\n Fact: Weakness Equates to Timidity<\/strong><\/p>\n Arnold\u2019s final point about handshake facts and fiction is a good one. A limp handshake never bodes well for anyone.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would tell me, and, again, I\u2019m saying this based on literature and my own experience,\u201d she said, \u201cthat you don\u2019t feel very confident and that you\u2019re a little unsure of the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n A weak handshake could tell your future employer or your boss that \u201cyou\u2019re not coming in as an equal; you\u2019re coming in as submissive.\u201d<\/p>\n The risk of giving a weak handshake isn\u2019t so much the in-the-moment failure as it is an indication that you may not be ready for the job.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t want to portray a submissive role when you\u2019re trying to get hired,\u201d Arnold said. \u201cYou want to come in feeling you\u2019re confident in your ability.\u201d<\/p>\n Worried About Your First Impression? Practice & Remember That Your Handshake Isn\u2019t Everything<\/strong><\/p>\n As embarrassing as it may sound, both our experts confirmed that the best way to nail your introductory handshake is to practice.<\/p>\n Take some time in the day s leading up to your interview to stand in front of a mirror, extend a hand and make eye contact with yourself. Practice your verbal introductions. Examine your facial expressions.<\/p>\n The goal is to present yourself as someone who wants the job, has the confidence to get it and is happy to be interviewing for the position.,<\/p>\n And remember, while the handshake is still important, it\u2019s not the sole factor by which you\u2019ll be judged.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s ever been just about the handshake. It\u2019s about the person you present,\u201d Burke said. \u201cYour body language. Your attire. Your eye contact. Your facial expressions. Hopefully, you feel comfortable and authentic enough about yourself to be who you really are.\u201d<\/p>\n Find this article at Glassdoor, here<\/a><\/p>\n
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