Tips on Handshake

A handshake leaves a very definite and often lasting impression, and in the business world a handshake is the only truly appropriate physical contact for both men and women.
The proper shake …

• Involves eye contact
• Is firm but painless
• Lasts about three seconds
• Takes only two or three pumps
• Starts and stops crisply
• Doesn’t continue through the entire introduction

Keep your fingers together and your thumb up. Slide the web of your hand all the way to the web of the other person’s hand. Otherwise, he or she ends up shaking hands with your fingers. Also, shaking web to web effectively prevents the other person, no matter how strong, from crunching your knuckles.

Begin with your fingers
together and your thumb
up.

Shake hands web to web,
with a firm but not crushing
grip.

Never offer only your fingertips,
causing a weak,
limp handshake.

You shake when …

• Someone offers his/her hand to you
• First meeting someone
• Greeting guests
• Greeting your host/hostess
• Renewing an acquaintance
• Saying goodbye