--- Dhruv Corporate (HR) Solutions Pvt. Ltd. ---

An interviewer who has conducted many interviews are adept at detecting various emotional giveaways like fear, boastfulness, insecurity or lack of confidence by observing the candidates body language. Be sure to take note of that.

Pay attention to your body language when you speak to avoid giving your interviewer mixed thoughts and feelings when your words spoken do not correspond to the body language that you exhibit.

Your interviewer will be watching you intently throughout this time to see if you suddenly become nervous or unsure of yourself.

Few tips for sending the correct signals to the interviewers :

Smile :

Have a genuine smile - Imagine how good you will feel your first day on the job or after receiving your first check. That is the smile you want to convey during your face to face job interview;

Handshake :

A dry, firm hand shake (but not with a vice -like grip) reflects a strong personality and is what most employers are looking for. Limp, sweaty, dead fish handshakes is definitely a no - no.

This is the first body language in the interview that your interviewer will "read";

Posture :

Reflects energy, enthusiasm and self control. Stand and sit erect but not too stiffly.

Relax and lean slightly forward, about 10 degrees, towards your interviewer. This gives the message that you are both interested and involved.

Tilting your head very slightly to one side comes across as friendly and open. Keeping it straight comes across as self-assured and authoritative.

Don't slouch, lean back, lean on the sides or sit on the edge of the chair;

Eye Contact :

Eye contact is essential interview body language to establish rapport with your interviewer.

Maintain eye contact but do not stare.

When you are doing the talking you need to hold eye contact for periods of about 10 seconds before looking away briefly and then re-establishing eye contact.

With panel interviews it is best to look at and direct your answer to the person asking the question, with a glance periodically at the other interviewers.

Don't keep turning your attention to the floor or the ceiling;

Hands :

Less you move your arms and hands, the more confident and in control you are.

Practice a comfortable way to loosely place your arms and hands while you are sitting, clasped in your lap or on the table or in a chair on its own.

Control your hands by being aware of what you are doing with them.

Having your hands above the neck, fiddling with your face or your hair, is unprofessional and conveys nervousness and anxiety.

Keep your hands away from your face. Touching the nose or lips can indicate that the candidate is lying. Holding a hand behind your head is often a sign that you are annoyed or uncertain.

Folding your arms across your chest suggests a closed and defensive attitude.

Waving your hands and arms around can be perceived as uncertainty and a lack of professionalism;

Voice Delivery :

Speaking in a clear and controlled voice conveys confidence.

Avoid speaking in a monotone by varying your tone and pitch, however don't overdo it and come across as overly excited or emotional.

Breath and pause before answering a question, this gives you time to react in a considered way and it ensures that the interviewer has finished the question.

You should interact with the interviewer as an equal, not a subordinate. Ensure that your voice tone is not apologetic or defensive;

Leg Movement :

A lot of leg movement is both distracting and indicates nervousness.

Crossing your legs is fine but be sure not to have your foot pointing at your interviewer.

Crossing them at the ankles or placing both feet flat on the floor conveys a confident and professional look during the job interview.

Men who like to cross their legs should place the back of his knee over the other kneecap and not have his ankle over his thigh.

Resting one leg or ankle on top of your other knee makes you look too casual and comes across as arrogant.

Crossing your legs high up conveys a defensive attitude in the one-on-one context of a job interview.

Avoid Unnecessary Movements :

Do not fidget. Avoid playing with you hair, clicking pens and the like.

Please take note that you do not make small movements like scratching yourself, adjusting your collar or touching your hair etc.

Make your interviewer perceive you better by avoiding doing these and always face the interviewer when speaking and not swing your chair or tap your feet on the ground.

Plucking dust from your sleeves or your knees conveys an element of boredom or distrust;

The Interviewer's Body Language :

Watch for these interview body language signals from your interviewer to read the message they are sending you.

Sometimes you can establish rapport by adopting the same posture as the other person. This is called mirroring. If they have adopted a more formal posture do the same until you see that the interviewer has relaxed and become less formal.

Body language cues that can indicate boredom include resting head on hand, fiddling with hands and losing eye contact. If this happens wrap up what you are saying and move on by asking the interviewer a question such as, "Is there anything else you would like to know about that topic?"

If the interviewer crosses arms or leans away it could mean that they are feeling uncomfortable. Perhaps you are leaning in too close and invading their space in some way. Create more space between yourselves. If there is not a table between you that creates a safe degree of personal space, keep a distance of about two to three feet, this is a comfortable amount of personal space for most people.

Drumming fingers and rubbing the face can indicate irritation. Clarify that you are answering the question with the information they want and not frustrating them with an off-the-point response.

Remember these before and during the interview to maximize your chances of looking promising to your interviewer.

Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication techniques, including appropriate interview body language, clarity of thoughts while answering the questions in your job interview is essential to your success.

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