Seven Seconds Is All It Takes
Research from Princeton shows that people form judgments about your competence, trustworthiness, and likability within 100 milliseconds of seeing your face. Within seven seconds of meeting you, they've formed opinions about your intelligence, social status, and personality that are remarkably resistant to change.
What They're Actually Judging
In order of impact: facial expression, posture, grooming, voice tone, and eye contact. Notice that none of these are about what you say — they're all about how you present. The content of your conversation matters far less than the impression you create before you open your mouth.
How to Improve Your First Impression
The good news is that first impressions are largely controllable. Genuine smiling, upright posture, appropriate grooming, a warm vocal tone, and comfortable eye contact can be practiced and improved. Rankd's perception test reveals how you're likely being perceived — so you can adjust.