Making your best first impression

SALT LAKE CITY — Warmer weather brings a renewal of dinner parties, get- togethers, weddings and other social situations. For the recently graduated, it means job hunting, interviews and wooing to- be bosses.

Though it's something you've done hundreds of times, below you'll find a list of five introduction tips to help you give your best first impression with whoever you interact.

1. Who do you introduce first in a social situation? Unlike at the office, at a party among acquaintances, there's no distinction between boss and employee, but an age distinction remains between guests. Younger people should be introduced to older people and guests to their hosts. Unless expressed otherwise, you should always introduce someone by their first and last name. Let the older person or host give the younger person or guest permission to call them by their first name.

If you're introducing yourself, it's important to show confidence. Hazely Lopez, director of Hazely Academy of Refinement and Modeling offers this sequence for introducing yourself: make eye contact, say your first and last names and ask their name and offer your hand for a handshake. After they introduce themselves and finish the shake, it may be polite to ask them how they know the host, what the do for a living or where they are from. If it's at a work party where the company is the host, asking which department they work in and how long they have worked there would be appropriate, too.

1. Make eye contact When being introduced to someone, look the person you're being introduced to in the eyes. Looking away tells them you're not interested, which reflects badly on you, but it may also reflect poorly on whoever is performing the introduction. After you've been introduced, be sure to include the person who did the introducing in the conversation. While they'll probably be happy the two of you are getting on, it's rude to leave them out of the conversation. 4. Forgetting a name You're in the middle of introducing a group of people when suddenly, you forget the name of the person you're introducing. More than likely, the person you're introducing has done the same before. Peggy Post, author of says it's best to be straightforward and admit that you have drawn a blank. If you can, it's best to ask the person to remind you of their name just before the introduction. 8. "It's Julie, not Julia" If someone mispronounces your name, it is "a kindness," said Kate Spade in her book "Manners," to correct the person at that moment, rather than delay -- and possibly escalate -- the embarrassment. The correction should be done kindly and casually. Don't speak louder than necessary or exaggerate the pronunciation. Rather than yelling, "It's Haa-na!" one can politely repeat their name to the person. Don't become the offender. 12. Don't gush If you are introducing someone, especially to someone of the opposite sex, it's best to mention only a select quality about them, rather than go on about how they are good at so many things. Post says that not only are people usually embarrassed by these introductions, but that "exaggerated praise is likely to be a turnoff" for the other person.

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