Pumped up for the perfect shake

A good handshake is a form of communication that's well worth getting right, etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore recently explained to BusinessWeek.

Whitmore says the most confident approach is to connect the web of your hand (the area between your index finger and thumb) firmly with the other person's and pump two or three times.

To avoid giving a bad first impression, it's suggested the following handshakes are avoided at all costs:

Rubber Glove - covering a person's hand with your left hand while a handshake is in progress

The Queen - when a person only offers their fingertips, an approach that conveys superiority

Terminator - shaking and then turning the other person's wrist downwards

Wet fish - a limp, lifeless shake that screams lack of confidence and weakness