handshakes

One of the raters will usually come out, escort you into the room, and introduce you to the other panel members. As you stand up wipe any clammy sweat off your hands on the back of your pants. Don’t try to turn your self inside out trying to remember their names (they are often on cards in front of them). As you’re introduced, look the rater in the eye and give a firm handshake. Handshakes are thought to be a judge of your character. Practice them. Too many times candidate give dead fish handshake. Come on folks. When shaking hands with a female rater don’t wait for the high beams to come on in her eyes because of too much pressure. Just match the pressure in their handshake. At the end of the interview they will usually stand and shake hands again. Same eye contact thanking (by rank if you know) them for the opportunity.

I spoke to a group of volunteers who were mostly aspiring firefighters recently. As I was greeting several members before I started, I shook hands with a big strapping lad who had firefighter written all over him. He had that kind of firm handshake, smile and focused eye contact that can cause an oral board panel to want to hand him a badge.

A few moments later I turned to shake hands with another big guy. His handshake didn’t carry the same message. The big problem was he didn’t know. No one had told him. I had him go over and shake hands with the first guy. They worked on it for a few minutes and he returned with a more confident handshake.

The following is from Work Your Network, by Joe “Mr. Network” Pelayo jpelayo@josephmichaels.com : A UCLA study found that when 2 people meet for the first time they make 20 distinctions about each other in the first 20 seconds, then spend the next 20 minutes finding out whether or not they were right! The same study found that a handshake is worth an hour’s conversation between two people, because handshakes are thought to be a judge of your character.

Use that handshake to make the right first impression. As you’re introduced for an interview, look each rater in the eye and give a firm handshake. Practice handshakes. Too many times candidates give dead fish handshakes. Come on folks.

When shaking hands with a female rater don’t wait for the high beams to come on in her eyes because of too much pressure. Just match the pressure in her handshake. At the end of the interview they will usually stand and shake hands again. Same eye contact while thanking (by rank if you know) them for the opportunity.

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"Nothing counts 'til you have the badge . . . Nothing!"

Fire "Captain Bob" Author, Becoming A Firefighter
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