You walk into the interview room. You knock on the door, step through, make eye contact with the interviewer, shake their hand, exchange a quick greeting, and sit down. The interviewer asks their first question.
Here is the uncomfortable truth: by the time that first question leaves their mouth, the interview is already over. The remaining 20 minutes of carefully prepared answers, relevant experience, and thoughtful questions? Those are mostly theater. The real evaluation happened in those initial seconds.
The Research
In 2000, researchers Tricia Prickett, Neha Gada-Jain, and Frank Bernieri at the University of Toledo conducted a study that cuts against everything we believe about job interviews being rational, skills-based evaluations.
Note: This study was presented at an academic conference. While widely cited in first impressions research, it was not published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The researchers videotaped 59 employment interviews conducted by two trained interviewers. Each interview followed a structured format with standardized questions. After each interview, the trained interviewers rated candidates across 11 evaluation criteria, including hireability, competence, and likability.
Then came the key manipulation. The researchers extracted just 15 to 20 seconds of video from each interview, capturing only the greeting. The knock, the entrance, the handshake, sitting down. No interview questions. No answers. Just the initial impression.
They showed these silent clips to 30 naive observers who had zero interviewing training and knew nothing about the candidates or the job requirements. These observers simply rated candidates based on their gut reaction to those fleeting seconds.
The implications are staggering. People watching silent video of strangers for 15 seconds could predict what trained interviewers would conclude after a full structured interview. The elaborate evaluation process that followed was, in large part, confirmation of what had already been decided.
Why This Happens
This finding plugs into a broader body of research on what psychologists call "thin-slice" judgments. Humans are remarkably accurate at forming impressions from minimal information. We evolved to make rapid friend-or-foe assessments. Those instincts still fire in modern contexts, including job interviews.
The first impression triggers a cascade of psychological effects. Confirmation bias kicks in, causing interviewers to interpret ambiguous answers in ways that support their initial judgment. The halo effect means a positive first impression leads to more favorable evaluations across unrelated dimensions. Once that initial frame is set, it takes overwhelming contradictory evidence to shift it.
This does not mean interviewers are bad at their jobs or that skills do not matter. It means the human brain is wired to form rapid judgments and then defend them. Your qualifications still need to be there. But if the first impression is wrong, your qualifications will be fighting an uphill battle the entire interview.
Practical Applications
1. The Interview Starts Before the Interview
Your first impression begins the moment you become visible, not when you start answering questions. That means the walk from the waiting area, the greeting with the receptionist, and especially the entrance into the interview room. Prepare for these moments with the same intensity you prepare your answers.
2. Your Entrance Is Your Opening Statement
Walk in with purpose. Make eye contact immediately. Deliver a confident handshake. Smile genuinely. Say your name clearly. Sit down without fidgeting. These behaviors in those first 15 seconds telegraph confidence, competence, and likability more powerfully than any prepared story about your leadership experience.
3. Practice the Greeting, Not Just the Questions
Most interview prep focuses entirely on content. What will you say about your weaknesses? How will you describe your biggest accomplishment? This matters. But the research suggests practicing your verbal greeting and opening moments deserves equal time.
4. Nail the "Tell Me About Yourself" Response
The first verbal content an interviewer hears is often your response to "tell me about yourself." This isn't just an icebreaker. It's your chance to reinforce the positive first impression with a confident, clear, well-structured answer. Rambling here confirms any doubts. A crisp response cements the positive frame.
The Bottom Line
Job interviews feel like merit-based evaluations where the best answers win. The research tells a different story. Naive observers watching silent 15-second clips can predict interview outcomes because first impressions shape everything that follows. Your handshake and greeting do not just influence the interviewer. They may determine the frame through which every subsequent answer gets interpreted.
Put This Into Practice
While the research focuses on visual first impressions, your verbal greeting matters just as much. A confident, clear "Hello, I'm [name], great to meet you" delivered without filler words or nervous hesitation reinforces the positive impression your presence creates.
Interview practice in speaking.app helps you rehearse the verbal side of those crucial moments. Practice your opening greeting, your elevator pitch response to "tell me about yourself," and your first answers until they flow naturally. The AI feedback catches filler words, analyzes your pacing, and helps you sound as confident as you want to appear.
When the stakes are high, your voice and your presence need to work together.