Chapter 1

Making a Good First Impression

Whenever you meet someone for the first time, it is important that the introductions and small talk that follow are polite. If they are not, then the first impression you make might be a bad one.

First of all, when you greet or introduce yourself to someone, there are a number of different ways this can be accomplished depending on who you are meeting or where the conversation takes place. Yelling or calling out “Hi” may not be a good choice; “How are you?” or “How do you do?” would be better.

Second, make sure that you maintain eye contact with the speaker at all times. If you do not, speakers will feel that you are not paying attention because you are not interested in what they’re saying. This may not be your intent, so be careful!

Finally, the small talk that follows is important, so choose the questions you ask very carefully. There are some questions that are appropriate in Korea, but not suitable in English speaking countries. For example, “How old are you?”, “Are you married?”, and “What is your religion?” should be avoided.

Remember that learning conversation etiquette in English takes time, but it’s good to learn the rules. This could mean the difference between a good or a bad impression of not only the conversation, but more importantly of you!