NSTP-CWTS 2 STUDY GUIDE 1– Career Planning

LEARNING Zayas, 2017) and affect personal judgments

even in the presence of contradictory evidence
OBJECTIVES about the individual (e.g., Rydell & McConnell,
2006).
After studying this module, you will
be able to:

1) Identify ways to make a great first PRE

impression ASSESSMENT
2) Distinguish between best and worst
practice when first meeting a new
professional contact, ACTIVATING BACKGROUND
3) Differentiate between promoting
yourself and promoting what you believe KNOWLEDGE
in
4) Practice tasteful self-promotion 1. When you look at someone, what makes
5) Create self-promotional opportunities you think they are…
through an Elevator Pitch
 Dangerous
TOPIC  Greedy
OUTLINE  Intelligent
 Kind
1. First Impressions  Not smart
2. Writing Resume  Crazy
3. Social media Strategy  Generous
4. Mastering the Interview
2. Do you like to meet new people or do you
prefer to hang out with people you already
OVERVIEW know?
This module will let the students know how to
make a great first impression. This lesson will 3. When and where did you meet most of
test the vocabulary skills and comprehension
your friends for the first time?
skills of the students. Also, the students will
be able to share their ideas and belief about
the stories through reflective writing. 4. Have you met someone who you hated
right away even though you didn’t know
them?

LESSON 5. When are the most important times to

make a good first impression?
PROPER
6. What are the best ways to make a good
MODULE 1-LESSON 2- first impression?
MAKING FIRST
IMPRESION 7. Do you make first impressions based on
what people wear?

I. INTRODUCTION 8. What kind of impression are you trying to

make with your clothes?
First impressions are long-lasting. This
familiar phrase indicates one of the many 9. Do you try to make a different first
reasons that studying people’s first impressions impression now than you did in high school.
is critical for social psychologists. Any
information about a person, from her physical DISCUSSION
properties to her nonverbal and verbal
behaviors, and even the environment she
inhabits, influences our impressions and
judgments about her (e.g., Ambady & A. Six (6) Ways to Make Good
Rosenthal, 1993; Gosling, Ko, Mannarell, & Impression
Morris, 2002). First impressions have been
shown to last for months (Gunaydin, Selcuk, &

Study Guide 1 – Module 1-Lesson 2-Career Planning | Page1of 3

#1 – Your mindset
(aka Set an
intention)
Before you have the
opportunity to impress,
you need to know why
you want to make a great
first impression. What do
you hope to achieve?
Your mindset basically says that “goals matter”.
Think about what kind of people you want to
meet and what kinds of interactions you want to
have with them. You may even adjust your
wardrobe or style of dress accordingly. This
clearly needs to happen before you attend any
kind
of big event, conference, or even social
occasion. It also grounds you in the kind of
energy you
want to have and the level of intimacy or
personal exchange you want to engage in.
#2 – Appearance
My favorite way that this was described came
from the Forbes article contributed by YEC
Women. They reference appearance as “Think
about your ornaments”. Now as a women’s
consulting group, they were referring to clothes,
make-up and jewelry. But this also translates
to men with respect to watches, or shoes. What
you wear, and how you present yourself, says a
lot about a person. Looking polished,
professional and not “overdone” is the
foundation for any good impression (Stillman,
Inc.com).
#3 – Get ready – Be Prepared
Before you realize that your Great First
Impression was a Not So Great First Impression;
because you
(1) left your phone on,
(2) couldn’t shake the bad mood you were in,
or
(3) Arrived 15 minutes late, do a “ready
check”. Take one last look in the mirror.
Confirm the time and location. Turn off or put
away any distractions. And truly, if you’re in a
bad mood, stay home, reschedule, or watch
something funny on your phone before you walk
into the room.
Now, let’s switch to real-time experiences.
You’re dressed, ready, and have the proper
mindset.
#4 – Stand up straight and Smile
Study Guide 1 Modules 1- Lesson 2 –Career Planning | Page2of 3
Body language is a crucial part of first
impressions. Stand tall, smile, and above all
else, make eye contact. The British
Psychological Society (http://bps
researchdigest.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-
psychology-of-first-impressions.html) states that
people who make eye contact are perceived as
more intelligent. While people who avoid
contact are judged to be insincere. This is more
closely aligned in the research with women than
with men.
Genuine smiles, a firm (but not bone crushing)
handshake, and purposeful eye contact are
critical in making that great first impression.
#5 – Let them Speak!
There’s some disagreement about whether to
begin the conversation first or to listen first.
Actually both are correct depending upon the
situation! There’s no one magic formula. You
have to be able to read the room and
accommodate yourself to the situation. Pay
Attention!
You can engage in a bit of small talk to loosen
up a conversation. You can and certainly should
learn about the person you want to meet if you
have set that intention ahead of time. But if you
want a person to trust you, fight the impulse to
overly self-promote and speak in rapid
succession. Letting the other person speak first,
or have the floor first, is offering a kindness in a
way. It creates a positive environment and gets
people to feel good about you.
#6 – Reveal your Flaws, but not your
uhm’s and ahh’s
Polish is not always the answer when it crowds
your authenticity. You do have to relax and be
yourself. That’s not to say that you begin a
conversation with what you can’t do versus what
you can do. But with first impressions experts
actually find that some degree of vulnerability
can be empowering. Honesty and the ability to
let your guard down humanizes the
communication and makes you seem real. So
don’t overdo, but also don’t underdo. There’s no
excuse for bad manners, cutting someone off
when they’re speaking, finishing their sentences
for them, or stumbling over words.
B. Viewing: Making A First
Impression in an Interview
( Optional)
You are going to watch a 5 minute video
by Dan Stotz from Kennesaw State University
on “ Making A First Impression in an
Interview.”
C. PROMOTING YOURSELF
 Read the Article entitled “ Tasteful g. Give a concrete example or tell a short story,
Self Promotion” . ( See attached document) show their uniqueness and provide illustrations
on how they work, excel or differ from others.
h. Finish with a Call to Action.
D. ELEVATOR PITCH 2. Once you have a written response to each
1. What is an of the numbered items above, begin to edit
your responses to fit the criteria of 25-30
elevator pitch?
seconds, 80-90 words and/or 8 to 10
A personal elevator sentences.
pitch is a quick 3. Once done, read it aloud. Practice it with a
summary of yourself. co-worker, friend or family member. Does it
It’s named for the sound conversational? Friendly? Above all,
amount of time it should take to deliver it—the does it sound authentic? Is this you speaking?
duration of a short elevator ride (roughly 30 to
60 seconds or 75 words). Elevator pitches are
sometimes thought to be specific to an idea or
a product, but you can also use it to sell
yourself as a professional.(Indeed Career SUMMARY
Guide: 2020)
Making the first impression is very
2. Four Step Elevator Pitch important, especially when it comes to
Look at the picture below and establishing your career. It is important
illustrate the steps mentioned. because it lasts beyond its moment.

REFERENCES
https://
www.psychologicalscience.org/
observer/studying-first-impressions-
what-to-consider

https://www.eslconversationquestions.com/first-
impressions/

https://www.coursera.org/learn/career-
planning/supplement/ZEHz4 /elevator-
pitch-professional-examples

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/
LEARNING
interviewing/how-to-give-an-elevator-
ACTIVITY 1 pitch-examples

1. Learners will Interview (online) a https://www.speakenglishcenter.com/english-7-

professional Then, write an elevator speech tips-7-seconds-ace-interview-english-
script. You may use the following speech language/
outline:
https://www.feedough.com/elevator-pitch-what-
a. Tell who they are: describe themselves, and if is-it-and-how-to-craft-one/
they are currently working, your company.
b. Describe briefly what they do (this will be
spoken with enthusiasm
c. Share what problems they have solved or COMPILED BY:
contributions they have made.
d. Offer a brief example. Dr. Elisa C. Cristobal
e. Turn the conversation to the person they plan
to be communicating with. State why they are Dr. Prescila Marcelo
interested in their listener.
f. Provide an answer for what the advantages Dr. May Rhea Lopez
are from working with them. How or in what
ways do they differ from others?

Study Guide 1 Modules 1- Lesson 2 –Career Planning | Page3of 3