First Impressions Don’t Matter. Authenticity Does.

We’ve all had one—a terrible date that didn’t lead to a second or a networking interaction that went south. When it comes to first impressions we are quick to judge others, but maybe we shouldn’t be so hasty. After all, how many times have we made a bad first impression? Maybe we tried a cheesy pickup line or awkward conversation starter because we felt self-conscious.

Don’t judge a person based on a few seconds of conversation. This person might be struggling with their finances, recovering from a breakup, or just hungry. We all can be moody, and whenever we are, the last thing we need is someone else judging our entire character based on just one of our (worst) moods.

Nobody wants to have a “networking conversation.” We’re hungry for real conversations and real relationships that are authentic, genuine, and sincere. So let’s stop “networking’ and judging people based off our first impression. Everyone has their bad days and their awkward moments, and that’s authentic.