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Job Interview Tips

Coping With Job Interviews

Tough Interview Questions

Assessment Centres - How to Succeed

Presentations

Body Language

Psychometric Testing

Behaviour Interviews

Telephone Interviews

Your Body Language at a Job Interview

Trained interviewers specialise not only in evaluating what you say in an interview situation but also how you present yourself. Your body language can communicate positive and negative messages so you must think very carefully about how you walk into the room, how you sit and how you control yourself throughout the interview. The positive first impression that you created with your CV or application form must be maintained. at all times.

Positive body language

During an interview, there are a number of techniques you can use which will be construed as positive:

• Maintain eye contact – if used effectively, this implies confidence but it should not be allowed to make the interviewer feel uncomfortable
• Positive handshake – make the handshake firm but friendly while ensuring you do not imply either weakness or overconfidence
• Head up – don’t look down at the floor and try to adopt an open-mouthed smile where appropriate
• Open hands and touching fingertips – these suggest honesty and authority

Negative traits

Certain movements or actions can create a negative impression:

• Crossing your arms
• Tapping your feet
• Slouching
• Resting your head in your hands
• Locking ankles
• Fidgeting
• Playing with your hair
• Biting your nails
• Clasping your hands behind your head
• Rubbing your eyes or nose
• Putting your hands on your hips

These actions can suggest defensiveness, boredom, nervousness, arrogance, aggression or self-doubt and should be avoided at all costs.

Advice for success

You may be able to establish a rapport with the interviewer by picking up on their own body language and, if appropriate, by imitating it. Remember that there is a fine line between implying a connection and blatantly copying the interviewer so make sure that you get this right. In addition, their body language can help you to determine the impression you are making on them so, for example, if they look bored, it is a fair indication that you need to change the subject!

The way you dress is important as is the way that you walk into the room – first impressions are very important and the interviewer can form an opinion about you before you even answer the first question. Remember that the interview starts the second you enter the interview room.

Finally, the more the interviewer likes you as a person, the more likely they are to want to work with you and engage with you on a professional level. Just be careful not to be overfamiliar as this will be frowned upon.