“Research confirms that we are more comfortable with people who are familiar looking, whether we know them very well or have not previously met them.”

“The reason we can assess people so rapidly is that we compare what we see before us with a set of previously established stereotypes - expectations based on what we have been told and what we have gained from past experience. Usually there is some element of truth in these stereotypes but they can also be misleading.”

“It has been found that people are more sensitive to negative faces, picking sad and angry expressions out of a crowd more quickly than positive ones. This is perhaps because we use them as indicators of threat.”

“Regardless of expense, the way we are dressed can show how much pride we take in ourselves and how we value cleanliness. The impression given can range from careless and sloppy to precious and obsessional. Perhaps the most important thing is to be appropriate; we are generally most comfortable when wearing the right thing for the occasion.”

“Obviously, people should be free to present themselves any way they like but they need to be aware that every choice has consequences with respect to how they are perceived. We all have choices to make about how we present ourselves to others but we need to be aware of their likely impact.”

“Mirroring the body language of the interviewers may be a way of increasing rapport and making them feel more receptive towards you.”

“The eyes are the most powerful social signalers that we have and hence are sometimes called 'the windows of the soul' One of the key elments of what is called 'social skills training' is getting just the right amount of eye contact. Too little and we come across as shy and awkward; too much and we seem rude.”