The Psychology of First Impressions

Lightning Lessons

Practical skills & tools to accelerate your career

The Psychology of First Impressions

Hosted by Erin Essex and Alicia Gonzalez

What you'll learn

Factors that impact the first impression

Explore the nuances of communication and how verbal, non-verbal, and behavioral cues can affect your first impression.

Navigating confirmation bias

Learn how to leverage confirmation bias and the halo effect to go further in interviews.

Creating impressions that stick

Understand the psychology of a lasting impression and the steps you can take to make yourself more memorable.

Why this topic matters

The ability to leave a positive first impression is a valuable skill to have. Whether you’re job hunting, networking, or just working on your soft skills, knowing what happens in those first few seconds can change everything. In this lesson, we’ll dive into how we can influence others’ perceptions of us from the very start — helping you build connections that can open doors.

You'll learn from

Erin Essex

Sr Interaction Designer @Youtube | Former Design Director: MongoDB, Shutterstock

I’m a UX designer, YouTube content creator, and storytelling instructor with a background in Moth style storytelling and years of experience helping people craft compelling narratives for work and life. I’ve used storytelling to land jobs, lead design projects, and connect with audiences across platforms. In this lesson, I’m excited to dive into the intricacies of leaving a positive first impression so you can take some skills home and apply them to your next conversation.

Alicia Gonzalez

Sr Learning Specialist & Education Consultant | Host

I am a Senior Sales Strategist with a background in education, consulting, and learner engagement. In this lesson, I'll be asking our subject matter expert, Erin Essex, some thought provoking questions on the psychology and tactics behind creating a strong first impression.

Interaction Designer at Youtube