In an Interview, Your Body Language Says More about You Than Your Resume
Posted October 20th, 2016
Even when we are actively speaking to someone, our body tells a tale all of its own. Sometimes, your body language works in conjunction with your actual speech, creating a cohesive picture on all fronts. At other times, your body sends out signals that you may not consciously intend. While that may not pose a problem every minute of every day, it can lead an interviewer to make assumptions (conscious and unconscious) about the kind of person you are, and the kind of worker you would be.
If you want to make sure that your body language is saying all of the right things, consider these tips.
Smile and Make Eye Contact
This should be done as soon as you meet your interviewer. During the introductions, make an effort to smile and make eye contact while shaking hands. If there are multiple interviewers, handle each introduction the same way. In cases where people are not positioned to allow for a handshake, smiling and making eye contact can help each interviewer feel acknowledged, which may be sufficient.
As the interview progresses, make sure to continue to smile when appropriate, and make eye contact regularly. This doesn’t mean you have to actively stare down your interviewer, as that can actually be as uncomfortable as no eye contact. Instead, shift your focus between sentences. This process can be used as a guideline for transitioning eye contact between multiple interviewers, as well as provide an interval at which to subtly break eye contact with a single interviewer.
Maintain Good Posture
While you don’t need to resemble a drill sergeant, make an effort to maintain proper posture. This can make you appear more engaged by keeping your posture open. Many people worry about what to do with their hands, leading them to cross them in front of their chest, pulling the shoulders in, and even causing them to slouch. By sitting (and standing) tall, being mindful to keep your shoulders back and down, you will not only look more confident and receptive, you may feel that way too.
Keep Your Hands under Control
A number of people talk with their hands, and it can be such a habit that many people aren’t fully aware of how they are moving. While allowing your hands to move freely isn’t inherently a problem, it is important that the movements err towards the subtle side.
If you have a tendency to let your hands add to the conversation, make sure that your hands remain above the desk or table at which you are seated, but keep them below the height of your shoulders. Activity above the shoulders may make you appear frantic, or panicky. Movement under the desk may come off as fidgety, or odd.
If you have room to sit slightly back from the table or desk, of there is not table or desk at all, you may want to keep your hands slightly lower and closer to the level of your navel. This can provide the impression that you are calm and centered, but it will only reflect positively if your movements are within view of the interviewer.
Leave How You Entered
Once the interview has ended, make sure and leave with the same impression as you entered. Make sure to smile and make appropriate eye contact, shake hands with any interviewers that are accessible, and maintain proper posture. Don’t attempt to read the body language of the room, as this may have you focusing noticeably on their posture or gestures, and could make you negligent of your own.
Maintain the same posture until you have completely left the property. This includes are you exit the building, walk through the parking lot, enter your vehicle, and drive away. This ensures that, in case you were still being observed, that you present the same impression until you are safely out of sight.
Now that you know how to nail your next interview, let the employment specialists at Bayside can help get find a new job opportunity. Contact Us Today!
