A handshake can make either a strong or weak impression on a person you are meeting for the first time. A good handshake can exude confidence, warmth, honesty and friendship.

A bad handshake can signal weakness, a lack of confidence, coldness and leave the impression you don’t want to be there.

For situations such as job interviews or meeting a person for the first time it is important to get the handshake right.

1. Approach the person in their line of sight and give them a verbal greeting. This lowers the chance of being left ‘hanging’ with your hand outstretched.
2. Look into the person’s eyes and smile as you stretch out your right hand.
3. Grip their hand firmly but don’t try and crush their hand in a vice-like grip.
4. Avoid at all costs the limp, dead fish grip.
5. Grip their hand so the webbing between your thumb and forefinger meets the webbing of theirs.
6. Avoid using only the tips of your fingers. You need to go in deep.
7. Shake hands up and down in small movements a few times and release. Don’t hang on for too long or it becomes awkward.
8. If you are shaking hands with a girl slightly decrease the hand pressure but still avoid the limp fish effort.
9. For friends and family you can increase the warmth of the handshake by gripping their upper arm or you can bring them in close for a bro-hug.

Don’t be afraid to practice with friends, at parties and with adults. A solid handshake creates a positive first impression.