First impression / Perception

 It is often said that the first impression is the one that people will remember and that it can tell alot about a person. Sometimes it is true but I have learned that the majority of time it isn’t always the case. That first impresseion is often times misleading and it can even be detrimental.

 We are taught at an early age that all thru our lives that the way people generally perceive us is based on that first impression that we make. If the first meeting or that first impression goes awry, it can possibly take a very long time to overcome it and to show exactly who and what you are. It holds true whether we are meeting a romantic interest for the first time or applying for a job or to go to a school.

 Appearance is the very first thing that is noticed about us and it is that impression that seems to weigh the most followed by our speech and how we carry/conduct ourselves and attitude. I never noticed or even realized just how much emphasis our appearance makes on someone, other than for romance, until I had moved to Tennessee a few years ago and went to talk to a lady about a truck driving job.

 I had made a call to the drivers license office to ask a question about an endorsement. The lady answered my question and gave me the number to a lady that had called looking for drivers. I called the number and I was asked to come in that afternoon for an interview. I went and the lady I had spoke with on the phone was part owner of the company. She looked at me kind of funny but I didn’t pay to much attention to it and she had her assistant do the interview.

 The next day I was called and told that my MVR ( motor vehicle report ) came back clean and was asked if I could come in to get familur with the truck and make a run that day so naturally I went in and started to work. Everyday I would see all the company owner/partners but it was Armida, the lady I had first spoke with concerning the job there, she would always look at me in a weird way and only spoke to me if she had to. Her husband was in charge of the trucks and at first he would always be concerned and ask if I was taking care of it and so on and so forth and after just a few short weeks he quit asking because he saw that I knew what I was doing and took care of my truck.

 After about 3 months had passed, I found out the reason for all the looks and short sentences that Armida had been giving me and it was simply because of my tattoos and ear piercing and she told me this herself and even appologized for the way she had acted. She said her first impression of me was one of distrust,along with all the other stereotypes of people with body art. Things were totally different after that day between her and I and she would even refer me to others as one of the companys most valued assets.

 I would like to be able to say that in the past I never looked at anyone that same way because of the impression I first received of them but I would be lying if I did. I have changed my point of view when it comes to others and how they may come across at first. I have worked for and with people that at first glance seem like a hardass or even a know it all but my perception changed when I found out what type of person they really are even tho they tend to come off a bit to strong. I myself have the tendancy to come off as a smartass and many will agree with that assumption, and I am one to a degree but it is usually in the good, jokingly way.

 How someone first comes across to us does not define who that person really is. Looks can be deceiving. Even tho it might take a little while for us to perceive who or what a person actually is. The impression given by someone the first time could be affected by an influence of simply just being nervous making them come across less than desirable so to speak.

 Don’t judge a book by its cover for sometimes it is the book with the most tattered cover that tells the most amazing story.