Job Skills - was Re: Tech-support Hall of Shame

[Aaron]

> Hand shakes are just wierd... You have to leave your personal space and
*lean*
> in to someone else's to make the connection. Not to mention that you have
to
> ensure that you're standing exactly the length of each other's arms when
you're
> ready to do the shake. And when do you do the shake? Before, during, or
after
> the greeting? What if the other person doesn't shake? Then you're left
standing
> there doing a James Dean brush of the hair. Too much work.

If you extend your hand and the other person doesn't shake for no apparent
good reason (broken arm, no hand, etc) then you've been insulted.  The main
thing is that you extended your hand and those around you will see you as
the better man for it.

> If you're hiring someone, I hope you don't use the hand shake as a good
first
> impression. Personally, I think there much more to be read about a person
in
> whether or not they're able to make eye contact with you.

The hand shake is the first impression.  It's the traditional greeting in
our culture.  You extend your hand, smile, look the other person in the eyes
and introduce yourself.  When I'm hiring someone, a bad handshake means a
bad interview.

If you think about it, it is kind of wierd that we grab eachothers hands as
a greeting.  Who knows where that hand's been?  For all I know the other
person could have just come from a vigrous butt picking session, or worse.
But that's the way it is.

Aaron