Shaking Hands
 

In the interview thread the subject of shaking hands in relation to gender came up. I figure most people here probably do it so I decided to add another question to it.

On my mom's side of the family (Estonian heritage, if that matters) they were taught to shake hands very firmly. I have painful childhood memories of one of my relatives who seemed to be trying to break my hand every time we shook hands.

On my dad's side of the family (Canadian/English) they don't have any sort of conduct for shaking hands, but I noticed many of them have relatively weak hand shakes. In general I think this holds true for most of the people here too.

I'd like to see what role location and age play in it as well but that would be a bitch of a poll to make just for shaking hands. So just choose which option best describes you.

Weak. So very weak. I get too worried that I'll crush their hand otherwise.

I picked firm.
I don't know what it is, but if a guy limp shakes my hand, it's very off-putting.
I don't really find myself shaking hands very often unless I'm dealing with people on a professional level, but I've had a few limp shakers before and it just makes me want to go wash my hands for some reason...

USA
30 years old

Firm for me as well. I was raised to do it but I think I would have done it anyways. And I agree with everything Freebase Dali said.

Canada
21

This pretty much describes me too, though I'd like to add that women who give the dead fish hand also kind of annoy me. It's the 21st century ladies, it's okay to be assertive.

For the record the Acadian side of my family were a bunch of handbreakingly hard shakers but everybody else was simply firm without trying to crush your hand.

Male, 34
USA

I hate touching people. With the exception of sex, I find no joy at all, whatsoever, in human physical contact of any kind... suppose I'm ****ed.

If I have to shake somebody's hand(employer during interview, etc). I will, but they more shake my hand than I shake theirs.

Only at the interview stage and already making the boss do all the work. :laughing:

My grandfather instructed me from an early age that a firm handshake is necessary to go anywhere in the world.

I kinda get creeped out by people who do the weak fish; it's like not looking at someone when you are talking to them. Unless you're old or really sloppily hitting on me, don't finger my hand like it's an inattentive cat.

Aww, no hugs? Without trying to sound like a perv, I love human contact.

The image of the worst possible interpretation of someone "fingering a cat" is now seared into my brain. :yikes: