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When we meet someone new in our busy lifetimes, either through work, personally or socially unless of course it is someone of the opposite sex, I would think it is the common courtesy to give that other person a firm gripped handshake. Especially in work situations, job interviews... a simple thing of the norm. Could it be the reason you have been turned away and declined from so many job possibilities is down to the fact that your handshake is limp, weak and even feeble?
A new piece of research has revealed that one in five Britons could be losing out on a job because quite simply their handshake isn’t up to scratch. According to this revelation, almost 18 percent of bosses wouldn’t employ somebody who didn’t have a decent and solid handshake and thus could scupper your chances of getting a job with that person, group or company within the first 10 seconds or so.
The limp-wristed handshake, dubbed the “limp fish”, was a pet hate, with 36 per cent of Britons claiming it implied a nervous and introverted personality. According to a survey conducted... almost 2000 people stated that they hadn’t been told or shown how to do an appropriate handshake.
Body language expert Judi James said:
“It is easy to dismiss the handshake as a mystifying social ritual that should be well past its sell-by-date.
“But the handshake is one of our most important and basic forms of communication. Getting it right will not guarantee you are memorable, but get it wrong and you will leave a lasting impression that could mean you miss out on interviews, business, social success and even dating.”
I didn’t realise we needed a lesson in how to perform the perfected handshake for goodness sake? Albeit I wouldn’t brand my personal greeting as “limped” if bosses really do judge people on the performance of the simple hand gesture... then I am simply amazed and astonished. You could be nervous, on edge... uneasy. Does that mean you are judged to be rather naff and not worth giving a chance? How petty! I think this would be a jolly good time in starting to practice the seemingly one overlooked thing when preparing for a job interview. My hand is pulsating with nerves as I type at this very moment.
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