Of course you want to make a good first impression when you go for a job interview, but bear in mind that the initial impression you make will be broadcast to the interviewer very quickly. In seven seconds, as a matter of fact.

That’s how much time it takes people to make 11 decisions about us in a first encounter, according to a study conducted by neuroscientists from New York University and Harvard. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, they examined brain activity as study participants made initial evaluations of fictional individuals. The fMRI results showed significant activity in two areas: the amygdala, which previously has been linked to emotional learning about inanimate objects and to social evaluations based on trust or race group; and the posterior cingulate cortex, which has been linked to economic decision-making and assigning subjective value to rewards.

These are the 11 traits that people make decisions about in those first seven seconds: education level, economic level, perceived credibility and believability, trustworthiness, level of sophistication, sexual identification, level of success, political background, religious background, ethnic background, and social and professional desirability.

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