Body Language: How to Ace a Job Interview Without Words

John Krautzel
Posted by in Career Advice


Body language plays a crucial role in how you present yourself in a job interview. The wrong body language can destroy your chances of landing the position, but the right nonverbal cues send a positive message that can lead to your perfect job. Hiring managers often make decisions within the first few minutes of an interview as to whether you are a good candidate. That means you need to impress everyone in the room with your confidence, charisma and attitude, even more than with your verbal responses to questions.

Why Body Language Is Important

Body language conveys messages to interviewers. You can exude confidence, anxiousness, friendliness and dominance with subtle behaviors throughout your face time. All of these things add up to making the other side feel comfortable being around you. If the hiring manager or your future boss do not like your presence or feel put off by your attitude, that nonverbal message may keep you from getting the job.

What your body language says about you also helps someone gauge if you're a good fit for the company. How well do you get along with the people in the room? Do you smile in a way that cause them to smile back at you? Do they make eye contact with you as you gaze at them? The better you mesh with the people in front of you, the better your chances of getting a job. Several aspects of body language can help you impress interviewers.

First Few Minutes

The first few minutes of an interview create a first impression. A firm handshake upon entering belies your confidence. Shake hands firmly but not overly strong. Try to mirror the strength of the grip you receive so that the handshake feels comfortable to the other person. Make eye contact with the person when you shake hands, as opposed to looking at the handshake.

Smile when you walk into the room. Sit down when everyone else does, to ensure you do not miss anyone during the introductions. Make eye contact with the person who speaks, and settle into your chair by sitting up straight. The first few minutes of an interview also let your interviewers take in your personality, behavior, appearance and other nonverbal cues.

Engage the Senses

Humans perceive things with all five senses, so you should come across as someone who engages as many senses as possible. Look great by dressing sharp, grooming yourself and wearing matching clothes. Make sure your hair is in place and your face looks clean. Men should be clean-shaven for an interview.

Personal grooming comes into play with perfume, cologne, body sprays and deodorant. You do not want to overpower anyone with too much odor, so keep the scents subtle. Freshen your breath with breath strips or a mint before you walk into the room, but do not chew gum during the interview. If you smoke, don't smoke leading up to the interview, especially if you have already changed your clothes, because that aroma comes across in a negative way to nonsmokers.

Maintain a pleasant voice and an even tone throughout your face time. Keep your cellphone off so that the noise does not distract anyone. How you move your body is another way to pique the interest of the HR manager.

Posture

Maintain good posture throughout the interview to exude confidence and self-assurance. This means sitting up straight with your shoulders square. Keep your feet on the floor so you do not feel tempted to swing your legs in an up-and-down motion. Use your hands to illustrate your story and to emphasize certain responses as you speak. Pay attention to what the other people in the room do, which can provide clues for acting nonverbally.

How you sit in the chair conveys your attitude. Use a lot of space in the chair to look bigger in the seat rather than smaller. Keep your arms open, or at your sides, rather than keeping them closed in front of you. Put your hands on the arms of the chair when you do not need them to gesticulate. Vary your seating position based on what happens in the moment.

Mimicking Someone Else

Mirroring is a technique that interviewees use to engage with other people. Watch how the person interviewing you moves or acts, and mimic that behavior. The reason you do this is because people tend to like those who are similar to them. Subtle movements that mirror another person can make that person feel more comfortable with you.

For example, your interviewer smiles as he asks his first question. Mirror his smile, and reply in kind. As the interviewer listens to your response, he leans forward. You should also subtly lean forward as a mirroring gesture. When the person who has your attention places his hands on the table, do the same with your hands at some point in the interview. Try not to be too deliberate, but act naturally as you mirror someone else's behavior.

Good Attitude

Maintain a positive attitude throughout the interview. Practice showing enthusiasm by looking at yourself in the mirror and changing your facial expressions. Listen to uplifting music as you practice. A sunny attitude goes a long way toward reassuring a hiring manager that you're the right person for the job.

Body language does not have to be flawless to ace a job interview. Keep some important points in mind about nonverbal communication, and practice ahead of time to achieve an appropriate comfort level. These things can help you emerge from that interview room a winner.

Photo Courtesy of Richard Taterovski at Fllickr.com

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  • ROD H.
    ROD H.

    Amen to.that

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Marte if the interviewer is a troll do you really want to consider pursuing the position? If the interviewer is also the hiring manager and was this way during an interview, walk away - quickly. Life is short and there are so many other jobs out there. Why take a position that you know you are just going to quit?

  • Marte T.
    Marte T.

    what if the person who is interviewing you is a troll?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Erica panel interviews can be tough for sure. My very first interview was a panel interview and I am amazed, even today, that I got the job! I didn't do any of the things that you are supposed to do on an interview from the way I was dressed to the way I interacted. Maybe I was just the best of the worst! In a panel interview, I have found that, when asked a question - look at the person asking as you start to answer and then make eye contact with each person as you are answering - always ending up with eye contact to the person who asked the question. Another thing that I have found that can sometimes set you apart is if you use their names when answering. It makes things a bit more intimate than just answering without using any names. @Kristen we always try to hammer it home that your appearance is SO important. You only get ONE chance to make a good first impression. Coming into an interview in your Sunday jeans is not acceptable - even if the person who is interviewing you is wearing them. Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have is something that I have always lived by. But, I, too, have seen candidates come in for an interview wearing jeans with holes in them; sneakers that had certainly seen better days; dirty hair; dirt under fingernails; breath that you can smell a mile away and the list goes on. I have even turned candidates away before they can even speak. So yes appearance can make all of the difference.

  • Kristen Jedrosko
    Kristen Jedrosko

    In my own interviewing experience, I have noticed how important appearance and body language are. When I interviewed for my current position, I dressed in a pant suit with a nice shirt underneath and a pair of conservative black heels. Throughout the interview I was seated and did many of the things mentioned above and I received a job offer and here I am! After I was hired in a short meeting with my supervisor I asked what set me apart in the interview from the other candidates. There were 10 of us that interviewed, but right away 4 of them were taken out of the bunch. One of them arrived in her casual Saturday sweatpants and sweatshirt, 2 others arrived in jeans, and 1 other was leaned back in his chair the whole time like he was a teenager in school. They were all fully qualified for the position, but they did not present themselves well on the day of the interview. The final decision was made based on education, experience, and the interview itself, but had these 4 presented themselves better they might be sitting where I am today!

  • Erica  T.
    Erica T.

    I've gone on two interviews in the past month that involved a panel of three people. How do I use body language without looking like a overly-dramatic performer trying to capture the attention of everyone in the room? For example, should I make eye contact with each person as they ask questions, or should I make occasional eye contact with everyone on the panel as I answer their questions?

  • Jacqueline Parks
    Jacqueline Parks

    When I experience anxiety before an interview, I try to re-interpret it as excitement towards the prospect of getting a great job at the company. Both anxiety and positive excitement cause some of the same symptoms, and focusing on the excitement makes it easier to smile and be enthusiastic during the interview.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the comments. @Mike - deep breathing prior to the interview will help calm those nerves. During the interview, just try some nice easy breathing and just consider that you are talking to a friend. That always helps me to get through if I can take a more conversational tone with the interviewer. It allows me to relax and therefore I can respond more readily to the questions and have more focus on what I am saying instead of sitting up straight with my hands clasped in my lap and answering like a robot. I have seen that and it is quite comical. Of course you can't laugh while you are interviewing the person but it is a great stress reliever afterwards. Yes, the interview can be just as nerve racking on the interviewer as it can on the interviewee. So try to relax a little bit. Maintain your dignity at all times, of course, but don't look on this as if you are going to the gas chamber if you don't answer a question. The interview is just a way for the hiring manager to assess your personality and your skills to see if you might be a good fit on his team.

  • Mia Greenwood
    Mia Greenwood

    I agree that body language is so important but so easy to overlook. Simple things like posture and eye contact are small things that can make a big difference. I have heard of mimicking before, but I heard of it as more of a subconscious thing that we do when we are comfortable around someone. It's interesting to think of it as something we can work on.

  • Jane H.
    Jane H.

    This article is basically from a man's point of view and I have to disagree with some of the points because women carry themselves differently from men. For example, taking up the whole chair: at least for me, that's an unflattering position. I sit up straight, but I keep my knees together and my hands on my legs unless I am gesticulating, which I try to minimize. The most important things I do are smile and nod, frame questions and comments in positive tones and maintain a professional sense of grace about myself.

  • Mike Van de Water
    Mike Van de Water

    What are some ways that you can naturally calm yourself down during the interview process to ensure your body language doesn't get out of control? When I get nervous I tend to fidget and jump, and that's exactly the wrong kind of message that you want to send during an interview. Also, what are some simple exercises you can do before the interview to work on your body language?

  • CATHERINE S.
    CATHERINE S.

    It's so interesting that mimicking the body language of the job interviewer is a suggested strategy in this article. I've heard about this mimicking phenomenon before, but only in the context of romantic relationships. When people are flirting or in love, they will unconsciously mimic the body movements and gestures of the person they like. It's fascinating that this translates to business relationships as well.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the reminder @Shannon. @Duncan an introvert is going to have to dig deep. An interview is a necessary evil for most jobs so, if they want to work, they are just going to have to try harder. It's like an extrovert in an interview. They have to temper themselves from taking over the entire interview. So the pendulum swings both ways.

  • Duncan  Maranga
    Duncan Maranga

    Some people, especially the introverts, find it quite an uphill task to depict vibrance during the interview session to impress the hiring manager. They are naturally reserved and withdrawn to themselves. How can these people manage to depict an exuberant appearance without feeling that they are falsely stage managing a feat that is not really their character?

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott

    Personal hygiene and grooming speak volumes when interviewing. I would recommend not wearing any perfume or cologne. Not only can it overpower the senses, but it can also spark allergies or sensitivity within the interviewer. You can still make a good impression by ensuring you are clean without covering up with powerful perfumes or body sprays.

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd

    I have to agree with William. Mimicking can be a tricky tactic, and you may come off as strange, awkward, or even worse, creepy. Subtly is key. Follow the other person's actions, but not to the point that they want to end the interview quickly just to get away from you!

  • William Browning
    William Browning

    I would be careful about mimicking someone's behavior too much. That may get creepy after a while, especially if another interviewer watches you shifting positions just as much as the person speaking. Learn to be subtle and no so obvious when you mirror someone's movements. Wait a few seconds so you gauge the person's intent and then gently move to copy someone.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Lydia thanks for the comment. I truly believe that we should stay on the conservative side when it comes to dressing for the interview. Conservative and toned down. Nothing flashy as it can be too distracting for the hiring manager. Keep the bling to a minimum, too and, for women, keep to your natural beauty instead of looking like you are walking the runway.

  • Lydia K.
    Lydia K.

    I agree that it's important to present yourself with confidence. This makes an instant positive impression on interviewers. I wonder however where the line is with engaging the senses. In the past, experts advised not to be too striking with outfits and accessories during interviews. Is this view changing? Or should we still err on the side of conservative when it comes to dressing for interviews?

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