Each of us has our own communication style and our own body language, but our body language could arguably be our loudest and most-impactful form of communication. Think about it, we can say anything, but if our body language conveys something different, we risk losing credibility with our audience.
One setting in which appropriate body language is imperative is during a job interview. Remember, an interview is our opportunity to prove to the interviewer that we will add value for them, are trustworthy, work well with others and can handle diverse situations appropriately. So, you may ask, “What role does body language play during an interview?”
Today, we will take a look at three ways body language can impact your interview success, depending on whether your body language is welcoming and open, or closed off and unapproachable.
Remember that your smile is a part of your greeting. So, when the recruiter or hiring manager calls to invite you to participate in a telephone screen, they must get a good feeling about you. If they sense that you are not smiling while speaking with them over the telephone, they could assume that you are moody; are dealing with something personal and are unable to control your emotions; are nonchalant about the job opportunity; and/or that you would bring team morale down by not showing enthusiasm about your work. Even though they may still invite you for an in-person interview, I can guarantee you that they will scrutinize you closely during the in-person interview process to see if your demeanor improves. Or they may decide that it’s not worth their time and energy to beg someone to be enthusiastic about a new career opportunity when there are so many other qualified individuals who are ready, willing, and able to work and have a great attitude about it. When you meet your interviewer in person you must maintain a calm, pleasant, collegial demeanor and nothing conveys those characteristics to those around you more than a warm smile.
On the other hand, if you smile and come across excited about the new prospective opportunity, you will be perceived as approachable and pleasant. You will then quickly win the interviewer’s favor and increase your chances of career search success. Isn’t that the outcome that you want? My philosophy is that the technical aspects of a job can be trained, a good attitude…not so much.
The other body language cue that you must get right is your handshake. Your handshake is likely your first official in-person introduction to your potential employer. So, it is imperative that you make the most of it. Please believe it when you hear that interviewers do not want to feel a limp handshake. Limp handshakes give the impression that you are weak and that you are don’t have a high level of self-confidence. After all the preparation and time that goes into getting interview-ready, the last things you want the interviewer to think is that you are weak and lack self-confidence. You don’t have to hurt peoples’ hands, but you must present a firm, confident handshake that lets the interviewer know that you are ready to prove to them that you are the best candidate for the job. When the interviewer approaches you, you should immediately extend your hand for a firm, confident handshake while you verbally great each other and you thank him/her for inviting you for the interview. If you interview before a panel, you should shake each individual panel member’s hand and express how nice it is to meet them. And once your interview is over, you get to do it all over again. Shake each person’s hand and thank them once again for having you.
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Last, but definitely not least…you must establish and maintain eye contact throughout the interview. If you are unable to look people in the eye when you are talking you might as well not show up for the interview because it will be a waste of your and the interviewer’s time. Understand that you don’t have to stare at the interviewer, but establish a natural rhythm of looking at him/her in a manner similar to the way that you would during any other conversation. If you are interviewing with a panel, make certain that you are including each of them in the conversation by directing your attention to each of them for roughly the same amount of time while you are answering a question. By doing this, you impress upon the interviewer(s) that you are relaxed and confident in the answers that you are giving. This then extends into their perceiving you as trustworthy which is a great impression for your interviewer(s) to have of you.
I know it can be a bit overwhelming to think of everything that you have to be mindful of during your interview, but these body language cues all work together naturally, so you have it in the bag. Diligent preparation and a healthy self-awareness will be your advantage.
For more information on appropriate body language, refer to this graphic on businessinsider.com.
Until next time, here’s to your career search success. Go get your new job!
Image credit: body language by robohub.org.
