Reality Check Series - First Impressions

COL Mikel J. Burroughs First impressions are important in a number areas of your life.

When I was first looking for a major airline job, a woman who said she was from Delta Airlines called to arrange an interview. I did not trust her, and thought it was a joke from one of my friends. Once she proved herself I could not apologize enough. She took it in good spirit and said it happened more than you would think. It taught me a powerful lesson about first impressions.

Growing up, we were taught never to call an elder by their first name - it was always the last name preceeded by Mr., Mrs. or Miss, and never by their first name without having permission to do so. No such thing as Ms existed at that time. On the telephone, it was proper to ask who was calling & to whom did they wish to speak. It was the same as stated above. Today, strangers call my phone (be it telemarketing or someone else) & call me by my first name like we were old friends. That irritates me as I did not give them permission to call me by my first name. Let it be known, that with Caller ID, if I do not recognize the number or the person calling, I will not answer, especially if no message is left on my answering machine.

Col Robert Wallace I was thought the same thing Sir and even when given permission to use the first name it is often difficult for me to do so. As for telemarketers, i pretty much have no problem with them; they usually hang up on me lol. I rarely get those calls anymore.