Job interviews are a nerve wracking process. On the verge of achieving your dream career, it can often be difficult to remain calm and composed. Interview preparation is key. The better you prepare for your interview, the more chance you have of securing your job.
Unfortunately, there are a large number of people who only conduct research into the company, and focus their preparation on responses to potential questions. These people are missing out on a fundamental preparation point for job interviews: body language.
Body language can be the difference between an employer taking you seriously, or rejecting you outright. In this blog, we’ll provide you with 5 job interview body language tips, to help you secure your dream role.
Interview Body Language
1. Sitting. The first interview body language tip on our list, is the way in which yousit. The way you sit can make a fundamental difference to how you are perceived by the employer. The best way to sit in a job interview is to sit firmly, and lean back straight against your chair. Never slouch. You need to appear assured and confident to the employer.
2. Hand gestures. Hand gestures can make a huge difference in job interviews. Many people are anxious when they go into interviews, and this shows in their hands. They worry that their hands will betray their anxiety, and as a result they keep them hidden or out of sight. This is a big mistake. By not showing your hands, you are sending subconscious distrustful signals to the employer. The best way to combat your hand anxiety, is to use your hands when speaking. Keep your palms up and open, to signal to the employer that you are an honest person, whom they can trust.
3. Nodding. Nodding is the best way to show your employer that you are listening to what they are saying, and are engaged with the subject at hand. It shows attentiveness and an enjoyment for what is being said.
4. Eye contact. This is a simple but fundamental aspect of job interview body language, which a great many people get wrong. Eye contact makes an enormous difference to how you are perceived by the employer. Too much eyecontact, and you will scare the employer off. Too little, and you will come across as untrustworthy. You need to find the right balance. Take natural breaks to pause and think about your answers, and then look back at the interviewer when answering. The eye is the window to the soul, use it to your advantage.
5. Arm position. This again, relates to the way in which you sit. Your arm position is essential to the way in which you portray yourself. Subliminal messages are extremely important in job interviews. By sitting with your arms crossed, you signal to the employer that you are a defensive and resistive person. If, on the other hand, you are sitting with your arms open at your sides, you will show the employer that you are an approachable and trustworthy person.
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