Top Advice for Good Interview Body Language
Body language is a type of non-verbal communication which is made up of gestures, facial expressions, eye movements and body language. Experts say over 90% of all communication is conveyed through body language. So follow our top advice for good interview body language to make sure you don’t cut yourself short at your next interview.
Smile
A pleasant friendly smile is a simple and instant way of showing positive body language. Interviews can often be daunting process for many, so smiling helps to alleviate stressful situations. However, it is important to make sure that your smile is genuine, as an interviewer will be able to tell apart an authentic smile from an artificial one.
Relax
Some people may find the interviewing process very daunting and this can play havoc on your nerves. To calm those nerves and relax in any interview process, make sure you arrive around 5-10mins early. This will give you the chance to catch your breath and become comfortable within your new surroundings, allowing you to put your nerves at ease. Arriving early will also give you the added opportunity to fine tune and go over any last minute preparation for your interview.
Eye Contact
It is most commonly remarked that the ‘eyes are the windows to your souls’ and if this is correct, eye contact is one of the biggest tell, tell signs of how you are feeling in an interview. Sustaining good levels of eye contact with an interviewer will show that you are confident and truthful in your answers. Poor levels of eye contact on the other hand, will give the impression of shyness and insecurity.
On some occasions you may find yourself being interviewed by a panel of people. In cases such as this, it is important to give each person the same level of eye contact. Even if they are not the one speaking directly to you, glances in their direction from time to time is enough to satisfy in this case.
Handshakes
Handshakes are important as they are commonly the very first and final impressions that you can leave during the interview process. Avoid very strong and forceful handshakes as this can give the impression of aggressive and unrelenting personalities in the workplace. Very weak and limp handshakes on the other hand are often linked to characteristics of fragile and irresolute behaviour at work. Your handshake should rest somewhere in the middle of these to remain firm yet friendly.
Gestures
Expressing yourself during an interview using hand gestures is very common. Showing open hand gestures while in an interview shows signs of confidences and honesty. But it is recommended to only do this if expressing yourself with your hands comes naturally to you. If it doesn’t come naturally, avoid doing this as it will appear contrived. Instead, clasping your hands loosely and placing them comfortably on your lap is a much better alternative.
