6 Dec, 2019
Getting your Body Language right at an interview is crucial. You can literally blow everything in the first few seconds by getting the Body Language wrong.
So, I’ll keep this simple because I don’t want you to be focusing too hard on the Body Language and forgetting everything else.
1 Keep your hands on view. That will give you credibility. If we can’t see someone’s hands then we instinctively start to mistrust them. If you’re sitting behind a desk or a table, don’t slide your hands under the table. Keep them on view.
2 Get your posture right. If we slouch when we’re either sitting or standing then we appear too casual or even defeated. Sitting with your back upright not only makes you look alert and focussed, it helps you to be alert and focused. Start doing this before your interview. Don’t slouch over your phone; put it away and get your shoulders back. But - and it’s a big but - don’t overdo this or you’ll start to appear aloof or arrogant.
3 Breathe deeply. Again this is something to do before as well as during the interview. We tend to hold our breath or breathe shallowly when we’re feeling tense. Breathing deeply (diaphragmatically) not only helps us feel calm but it helps other people around us to relax and trust us.
4 Maintain good eye contact when you’re listening. Here’s the rule: when you’re speaking you can break eye contact but when you’re listening (and you have to do that in an interview), maintain good, strong eye contact with the person talking to you.
5 Nod your head. Seems a bit of an odd thing to say, but we like head nodders! Here’s why! We nod our head at two different speeds; slowly to show that we’re on the same wavelength as someone, and quickly to show that we agree with them. When your interviewer is asking you something or explaining something important, you need to show you’re following them - so nodding your head slowly is the perfect way of doing this.
And here’s one DON’T for you.
You may well have heard about Body Language Mirroring and Echoing. We tend to mirror another person’s body language when we’re getting on well with them. But it’s not a good idea to try and force this; don’t get caught out playing ‘copy-cat’! Natural mirroring is fine - but that’s exactly what it is: ‘natural’. So don’t force it!
Good luck and thanks for reading. I’ll be back with more.
Mike
12 Nov, 2019
As a Body Language Expert, it’s probably the question I’m asked most frequently.
Before I identify the key body language signs for you (we refer to this as ‘leakage’), I need to explain a couple of things.