研究揭示握手有力是面試成功祕訣

As any serious job-hunter knows, it helps to dress smartly and smile at that all-important interview.

But research has revealed that a firm handshake is what really matters when it comes to impressing potential employers.

Although previous studies have shown a limp, 'wet fish' handshake indicates shyness, and a firm 'pump' confidence, there has been little evidence about the effect this has on an interviewer.

The US research looked at 98 undergraduates taking part in mock interviews with businesses.

As each was graded on their overall performance, five 'handshake raters' also marked them on their grip, strength, duration, vigour and eye contact.

Professor Greg Stewart, from the University of Iowa, who led the study, said those who scored highly with the handshake raters were also considered to be the most hireable by the interviewers. Students with 'wimpy' shakes were judged to be more timid and less impressive.

The study, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, also found women with a firm handshake were likely to be evaluated more favourably than their male counterparts.

Professor Stewart said: 'We've always heard that interviewers make up their mind about a person in the first two or three minutes of an interview.

'But we found that the first impression begins with a handshake that sets the tone for the rest of the interview.

'We don't consciously remember a person's handshake but it is one of the first non-verbal clues we get about the person's overall personality, and that impression is what we remember.'

Women were less likely to have a highly rated handshake, partly because traditionally they shake hands less than men. But when women did possess a firm handshake, they were likely to be evaluated more favorably than their male counterparts.

Body language experts warn, however, that the firmness needs to be just right, as an over zealous 'bone crusher' handshake can indicate egotism, a controlling personality and a lack of trustworthiness.

The handshake is thought to have originated in medieval Europe as a way for kings and knights to show that they did not intend to harm each other and possessed no concealed weapons.任何認真找工作的人都知道，在很重要的面試中，穿着整齊和微笑有助於面試成功。

然而研究揭示，要給潛在的僱主一個好印象，有力的握手才是關鍵。

儘管先前的研究顯示，一個軟弱無力的“濕魚”握手暗示着膽怯，而一個有力的“勁握”則象徵着滿滿的自信心，不過還沒有多少證據顯示出握手對面試考官的影響。

美國開展的這項研究調查了98位參加模擬企業面試的大學生。

研究人員不僅對每個大學生的整體表現打分，還有五個“握手評分者”對他們的握法、力量、持續時間、活力和眼神交流進行打分。

該研究的領頭人、愛荷華大學的格雷格?斯圖瓦特教授説，握手評分較高的人被面試考官認為是最可錄用的。考官認為那些握手軟弱無力的學生更膽小，留下的印象更淡薄。

這一發表在《應用心理學雜誌》上的研究還發現，握手有力的女性會得到比她們的男性對手更高的評價。

斯圖瓦特教授説：“我們一直聽説，考官會在面試的頭兩三分鐘做出決定。”

“但是我們發現第一印象以握手開始，併為面試的餘下部分定下基調。”

“我們不會有意識地記住一個人握手的樣子，但是握手是我們瞭解一個人總體性格最早的非言語線索之一，而這一印象是我們所記住的。”

女性握手得分高的可能性較低，部分原因是習慣上她們握手比男性少。不過當女性握手有力時，她們一般會得到比男性對手更高的評價。

但是，身體語言專家警告説，握手的力度需要恰如其分，過分熱情的“碎骨式”握手可能意味着自負、控制慾和缺乏可信賴性。

握手據稱源自中世紀的歐洲，國王和騎士用握手來表明他們沒有傷害對方的意圖，也沒有私藏武器。