Handshake: it's more important than you think

Most people are not aware of the importance of a handshake: and not just that you do it, but how you do it.

When you arrive at an interview, and again when you are leaving, you should offer to shake hands with the interviewer, whether or not s/he seems to be about to offer to do so.

It is an indication of sincerity and confidence.

But it's also just as important how you shake hands.

Here are some handshake types to avoid:

• The dead fish handshake: floppy, lifeless and not very pleasant to receive.
• The Queen handshake: just offering two fingers to be held.
• The knuckle squeezer handshake: "I can break your knuckles before you can break mine."
• The pumper handshake: the name describes it well, and your shoulder aches after it.
• The covered handshake: where with one hand you shakes theirs, and with the other you cover their hand. Appropriate in some situations, but not in an interview.
  

I had a client who was invited to a second interview, having shaken hands at the first, presumably to the employers satisfaction. But when they met at the second interview, my client was not expecting to shake hands again, and gave a limp, off guard type of shake, and was told he had lost the job because of it!

Seems unusual, and certainly not many employers would be so up front as to say so, but it probably happens more often than we think.

So be prepared and always give a firm, strong handshake. The "web" between your thumb and forefinger should meet the same place on their hand, hold firmly, but not to tightly, and give a gentle up and down shake. Then let go.

And smile.

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