When you walk into a job interview, the first impression is made in three to seven seconds. One study found that a first impression is based on 7 per cent spoken words, 38 per cent tone of voice and 55 per cent body language.
A bad first impression is difficult to overcome, no matter how solid your credentials. But with a little practice, you can polish up your body language skills to boost your chances of winning the interview and taking the next big step in your career.
To see and hear yourself as others see and hear you, it is recommended to practice your presentation in front of a mirror while speaking into a voice recorder.
- No one can fault you for being too formal in an interview. But being sloppy, or even too casual, will ruin your prospects.
- Pay attention to little things, like posture, sitting up straight, hand position and making eye contact with the interviewer (but don’t over do it or you will look a bit scary).
- There's no dictionary for body language, and it's impossible to say this or that gesture means X, Y or Z. But in general, here's how some basic body language will be perceived:
- Arms folded across your chest is often seen as a defensive posture or, at best, as reserved and uninterested in the conversation.
- Standing with your hands in your pockets suggests a lack of confidence or unease.
- Sitting with legs crossed while shaking one leg or wiggling a foot suggests nervousness or severe discomfort.
- Staring blankly at the floor suggests a profound lack of interest in the conversation.
- Rubbing or touching your nose during a response suggests you’re not being completely honest.
- Rubbing the back of your head or neck suggests you're bored by the conversation.
- Pointing your feet toward the door or leaning in that direction suggests that you want to end the conversation quickly and flee, perhaps in a panic.
- Slouching in the chair suggests you're unprepared for the interview, or that, deep in your heart, you know you're not up to the task.
At the interview, always grasp the interviewer's hand firmly and look him straight in the eye when introduced. Thank the interviewer for taking the time to talk. Wait for the interviewer to sit down before you do, and don't throw yourself in the chair like a teenager preparing to sink into a vegetative state in front of the TV.
In most cases, there will be a desk or a table between you and the interviewer that will establish a safe ‘personal space’. If not, don't get too close – 18 inches is about the lower limit, and two or three feet will be more comfortable for most people.
When responding to a question, speak directly to the person who asked it. If there are several people at the interview, glance briefly at them, but always return to the questioner before ending your response.
No one expects you to sit bolt upright, but you need to sit up to project an image of alertness and interest in the interview.
Reflect the interviewer's body language, but don't mimic it. Underline your seriousness, interest and confidence by making eye contact, tilting your head to catch questions and smiling. But don't follow the interviewer's every twitch and squirm with a twitch and squirm of your own, because that quickly degenerates into self-parody, and what you hope to project as earnestness becomes total twaddle.
Body language works both ways and you should be able to tell from the interviewers body language whether you are winning or not.
Jo Allam is director of Ecruit Ltd
