Never Underestimate the Power of Body Language in a Job Interview

We all know that a good CV is very important in the job search process. We all know how important it is to choose the right words while communicating with a prospective employer. What most of us underestimate is the power of body language in an interview. Getting a call for a job interview means that your impeccable CV, academic qualifications, skills and experience have successfully impressed the hiring manager. The HR manager has a good image of you and has set his / her expectation with your candidature. Thus, it becomes all the more important to live up to the expectations.

It is often seen that a candidate looks pretty good on paper, yet s/he is unable to crack the interview. Even when the candidate says all the right things, something seems off about him / her that the hiring manager finds it difficult to take the decision to hire him. If this has happened to you too, then it is time you should pay attention to the way you communicate non-verbally (through your body language) with the interviewer.

Also read - Do You Know: Everyday Habits That Make You Look Unprofessional

In this article, we will talk about how to effectively communicate non-verbally with the interviewer right from the moment you enter the interview room till the time your interview gets over. Hope this helps:

Entering the interview room

- Pay attention to your posture. Sit / stand straight and avoid crossing your legs / arm. Before entering the interview    room, fix your clothes and hair. This way you will be assured that appearance-wise everything is fine and you will     naturally feel more confident.

- Walk into the interview room tall and with a smile. This instantly creates a positive impression of a warm and     confident you into the interviewer’s mind. A person walking in with his / her head down and stooping shoulder is not    likely to create a positive impression as it illustrates a lack of confidence and not a very positive attitude on the     candidate’s part.

Starting the talk

- Greet the interviewer confidently. If you don’t know the name of the interviewer, simply say ‘Hello Sir / Ma’am’ with a     warm smile.

- Top this up with an equally confident and firm handshake. Remember, a firm handshake doesn’t mean a bone-     crushing handshake. What you need is a moderately firm handshake and make sure that your hands are not sweaty.

Sitting in the interview room

- Most of us consciously or unconsciously slouch while sitting on a chair or rock its back. It is totally unacceptable    during an interview as slouching or rocking the chair gives out an impression that you are too comfortable and     unprofessional. Just sit back and straight. At the same time, relax and avoid looking tensed.

- While it is not good to stay in one position throughout the interview as if you have frozen in the chair, it is also     inappropriate to keep shifting in your seat all the time. Find a comfortable position and relax. If you are a person who    uses hand gestures while talking, you can do so. It shows that you are interested in the job and speak your mind     confidently. However, use only subtle gestures and don’t go overboard otherwise, you might appear too loud.

- Nothing ruins your chances of landing that desired job more than fidgeting. It’s the most unappealing thing for an     interviewer. No interviewer likes it when a candidate is constantly fiddling with his / her hair, playing drums with their     fingers on the desk or clicking pens. It is highly unprofessional and extremely annoying.

The most important – eye contact

- Always make eye contact with the interviewer. However, there is a difference between making eye contact and     staring. Look directly at the interviewer and couple this up with subtle hand gestures and neck movement. However,     don’t keep staring at the interviewer. Otherwise, s/he may feel uncomfortable.

Walking out of the interview venue

- At the end of the interview, gather your belonging carefully and rise up from your seat calmly and smoothly. Smile and     nod your head. Shake hands with the interviewer and greet them politely.

Also read - Tips for the Right Body Language to Ace Your Job Interview

Having the correct body language can help you a great deal in impressing the interviewer. What’s true is that it mostly depends on your attitude how confident you feel about yourself. If your attitude is correct and confident levels are high, it will get reflected in your body language.

All the best!

Image: Pixabay