How to Make a Great First Impression in North America

By Kim Hunter

How do you make a great first impression? What does that entail? How to Make a Great First Impression in North America is based on classes and workshops taught by Kim Hunter to help non-native English speakers launch successful careers. She has helped startups, executives, and students in Silicon Valley with specific and helpf

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kim Hunter
• Release date: Jun 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9781732486102

Kim Hunter

Kim Hunter was born Norfolk and brought up in a small close knit family. She lives quietly with her English bull terrier Frankie.

Book preview

Foreword

My family and I moved to America in 1972 from Abadan, Iran. My father had learned English in school and my mother and I were very confident in his ability to guide us with his language skills. We soon discovered, however, that speaking the language and understanding the culture are two different things. We were baffled by people we did not recognize who talked to us in the street or in stores. We assumed we had met them somewhere but had forgotten them. Was that a neighbor? my mother asked me. Was that someone from the office? my father wondered. Are you sure that is not a parent or teacher from your school? my parents wanted to know. I was just as confused as they were.

The mystery continued until someone finally explained that in America, strangers engage in small talk. It is perfectly normal for someone you have never met to start a conversation with you in line at the supermarket! We soon came to love this strange aspect of America, and I became very good at it. I just wish we had known about this custom earlier. It would have spared us a lot of anxiety.

When I was an adult, my husband and I relocated to Munich, Germany. I learned the hard way that starting a conversation with a stranger is strictly verboten. There is definitely no small talk in Germany! I wish I had known that earlier, too.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every country came with an instruction booklet explaining the mysteries of first impressions? Now, thanks to Kim Hunter, a short and practical guide exists for North America. This little gem is packed with useful information and is very easy to understand. It will help the reader gain confidence to go forth and make connections.

As an immigrant,