Body language is one key to a successful interview. So people seeking jobs should always remember that most of the time, "the body does the talking."
"You could be saying how great you are, but your body could be giving your true feelings away," Alison Craig, author of "Hello Job! How to Psych Up, Suit Up, & Show Up" stated on Monster. People tend to look at your actions and know already what you want to convey. Be it nervousness or confidence, people can sense it.
The number one tip is to avoid bad posture. Slouching and leaning back towards the speaker for starters. Leaning back shows tardiness or being not interested in the conversation. While slouching forward would actually mean aggressiveness. Crossing your arms also is a bad posture since it shows disapproval and defensiveness to the assessor, as Entrepreneur suggests.
Motions conducted by the eyes also send messages. Too much intensity in eye contact can make the hiring manager perceive you as aggressive. Nonetheless, keep an eye contact with your interviewer. Avoiding eye contact makes the interviewer think that you are hiding something, not sure of yourself or maybe lying.
Meanwhile, sustaining eye contact will let the hiring manager think that you have the potential of leadership, confidence, and strength. Don't stare but maintain eye contact. Not too much since it will result as creepy and weird.
Too many gestures is a big NO. Excessive nodding is a big blunt in an interview. If you’re feeling that you are just affirming to what the hiring manager had just said, it’s not what you think. Too much nodding would make interviewers picture the job seeker as a bobble head. A simple smile and a nod of affirmation would do the trick. Simply placing your arms apart and showing your palms while explaining is enough to say that you are not hiding anything.
Being aware of yourself too much often leads to fidgeting, which can resonate your nervousness to the assessor. The assessor would like to focus on what you are telling and not the gestures you make that create unnecessary movements or sounds. Fixing your hair or clothing can also distract the assessor.
Lastly, whether you just arrived or already leaving, it is always important to greet the interviewer with a handshake. A tight grip and excessive shaking won’t do. Always make a firm handshake. A tight grip could view you as attempting to dominate or being aggressive in the eyes of the assessor. While weak handshakes depict a lack of confidence.
Manage your body language well. As the saying goes "First impression lasts."
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