The Importance Of Body Language During An Interview

Throughout my years in executive recruitment, I have come across a number of candidates who have impressive qualifications, are extremely intelligent and possess great management skills, and are well prepared with responses to tough interview questions. But quite often, I receive less than desirable feedback from clients who said that these individuals do not appear confident, seems uninterested, or appears to be too uptight. The worst I have heard goes “I don’t feel he is a person I can trust… eyes were darting around when I spoke to him and his handshake was so flaky…” Don’t’ laugh… it is a true encounter. Happened about three years ago to a candidate I was representing, and this individual is a senior level management type.

What happened? You might ask … yes, all of us should rightfully ask that question. I asked the same question too then. After probing into the details, I finally came to the conclusion – all the individuals who received such negative feedback had one common error, and that error comes in the form of body language they displayed during the interview.

Body language is widely known as a form of non-verbal communication involving the use of the body, and according to some researchers, they put the “level of nonverbal communication as high as 80 percent of all communication”. Others have put it “more reasonably at around 50-65 percent”. A research done by Albert Mehrabian in 1971 noted “a 7%-38%-55% rule, denoting how much communication was conferred by words, tone, and body language”.

Given the results of the extensive research done on modes of communications, it would be correct to say that body language plays an important part in the way our messages are perceived by others. And since an interview is all about communicating, it would logically be related that body language plays an equally important part during the interviewing process.

I am not about to write on body language or on the different modes of communications, simply because it is too huge a topic and I must admit I am no expert on this subject matter. However, based on my past experience as an executive recruiter and current professional encounters as a Career Consultant, and help enlisted from my current co-workers, ex-colleagues and associates, I have compiled quite a lot of useful notes in order for me to present an article on the top 10 tips to ensure good interview body language.

Armed with these tips, I hope that all the preparation you do for a job interview isn't in vain because your body language will play a critical part to a job interview success.

Now, moving on to the juicy parts…

Breathe deeply

One of the best ways to relax before an important interview is to breathe deeply. If you breathe deeply, not only are you relaxing by slowing your rapid, nervous heartbeat, you're also ensuring that your brain has as much oxygen as possible. This means that you'll be able to think clearly at your interview and be able to respond to difficult questioning more rapidly. Breathing deeply before an interview will provide you with the effective combination of being relaxed and alert at the same time.

Try it now and see how it feels.

Smile

You need to practice a relaxed, sincere smile. A good smile has the power to say, “I'm a happy, confident person and I'd love to work here”. Try practicing smiling in a mirror. Get a family member to look at your smile and give you their feedback. How do they feel? What does your smile tell them?

Practice a smile that puts people at ease. It's just as much your responsibility to ensure that there is a relaxed atmosphere during the interview. I was told by one of my co-workers that he actually said to a client, “If you're embarrassed about your smile, see what a dentist can do about it. The dental job might not cost too much to fix your teeth, and it will save you a lot of money if you get your job!”

Eye Contact

There's nothing more disconcerting to an interviewer than the interviewee being unable to make regular, good eye contact. The interviewer may think that because you're unable to do this, you either have something to hide, lying about something or may not have the conviction of what you’re saying to him or her.

If you're struggling to concentrate when looking straight into someone else's eyes, you could try looking in-between their eyes….they won't be able to tell that you aren't looking straight into their eyes, and you'll find it easier to maintain focus. Try it with a friend first to see what I mean.

Make sure that your eyes sparkle

It's all very well having good eye contact at your interview, but if your eyes aren't looking bright and interested then you're making life difficult for yourself! Make sure that you have a good night's sleep prior to your interview. Remember this is a very important day and you need to look your best and have no bags under your eyes!

Open Body Language – positioning your arms & legs

Make sure that your legs are slightly apart if you're a gent. Place your hands apart, on your thighs is good. Open body language is even more important when the interviewer is talking. It demonstrates that you are receptive to the question and actively listening. More importantly, it tells the other party you are interested in what they’re saying.

Again, try practicing this with a family member or a close friend first. Remember to take a note of what to do with each part of your body. Unless you do that and remember, you're leaving it to chance that your body language come across well at your job interview.

One other major no-no during an interview is to fold your arms across your chest. I have heard (and seen) too many people doing that (consciously or unconsciously) during an interview. If you do just that, you have created an invisible barrier between yourself and the interviewer. Not a good sign.

Don't slouch

It's easy to appear as if you slouch too much. This is especially prevalent if you're asked to site in a large, soft seat. Try not to appear too relaxed. Not sitting right back in the seat is a good idea. If you sit forward, it makes you look more attentive and more interested. Some people slouch because they're not very interested. Other people slouch because they have bad body language. Either way an interviewer isn't going to be too impressed.

Try practicing in a mirror at home.

Don't be too erect (rigid)

If you're too erect (rigid) then you won't appear relaxed. If an experienced interviewer is interviewing you then they might put this down to stage fright and not confident. They might just judge you on what you're saying rather than how uptight you appear. However, if you're interviewer isn't too experienced then they might not feel relaxed either because of your posturing. They could leave the interview with a feeling that you weren't as good as the other person simply because you were too erect (rigid).

No good either way. Try to relax but not too much!

Be engaged

It's important to be subtly positive at your job interview. You need to demonstrate that you're actively taking part in the interview. When your interviewer is telling you about the job role and company, make sure that you nod subtly. This shows that you are listening and are interested in what they are saying. It shows that you are engaged in the discussion process and want to be part of the organization.

Failing to do this will hurt your chances of a next round of interview or worst, cost you that much desired job.

Accept an offer of a glass of water

You may not feel like having a glass of water, but taking a sip from a glass of water can have a calming effect on your interview performance. It can give you an opportunity to collect your thoughts while refreshing you. It will also give you a chance to get used to the surroundings while the interviewer is out of the room getting the glass of water. This will also give you're the opportunity to gather your thoughts and decide upon any amendments to your interview strategy as well as reviewing your prepared responses to questions.

Practice your handshake (VERY IMPORTANT)

So many people haven't got the right 'professional' handshake. Remember that this is part of the FIRST and LAST impression that you leave at the interview. If you have a weak, limp handshake then this tells the interviewer that you may not have the ability to deal with confrontation. On the other hand, if your handshake is too strong, then you may not be a good listener. You may be quite confident about controlling a situation, but you may be less likely to be democratic in approach. To demonstrate the happy medium, have a firm but not hard grip, make good eye contact at the same time and mirror the style of the person whose hand you are shaking.

In summary, mirroring is the key. If you're able to subtly copy the tonality of your interviewer's body language, you'll find it much easier to communicate because you'll be speaking the same silent body language. At the same time, it helps build rapport with the other person. This will put you streets ahead of the competition in the race for your dream job.

An Introspective Exercise – Useful For Interview Preparations

Before walking into an interview, whether you are interviewing or being interviewed, the first thing to do is to be prepared for it, especially on the type of questions asked or being asked. I have compiled from various sources the following topics that will help you develop a perspective. I’d like to call it an introspective exercise.

For those of you who are not preparing for interviews, this can be also useful in doing a quick self-analysis. Who knows? The knowledge you gained from this exercise may come in useful when you’re sitting on the “hot seat”.

Just a little explanation on how to make use of those topics …

If you are a hiring manager, HR or recruiter preparing to conduct an interview, begin with a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities for the position. Develop a list of requirements, objectives and priorities associated with the position and use this as a guide to create specific questions for the topics below.

If you are on the other side of the fence and in the midst of preparing to be interviewed, research the job description and the company profile thoroughly. This information can, more often than not, be found on the company web site. Develop a list of potential responses and also create your own questions to ask about the position role and responsibilities as associated with the topics listed below.

Even if you are not preparing to conduct an interview, or to be interviewed, you can review your current career roles and responsibilities to reflect on the following topics...

A) What have you learned from your previous success?

• Can you identify significant achievements that highlight your talents, skills and capabilities?
• How can this knowledge and experience be leveraged to develop future success?

B) What have you learned from your mistakes?

• Can you identify decisions or circumstances that you might change if given another opportunity?
• How can this knowledge be applied to mitigate future risks?

C) What have you learned from your experiences and industry knowledge?

• Can you identify personal experience and perspectives that make you unique?
• How can unique experience or industry position be used as a strategic advantage?

D) What have you learned from other people?

• Can you identify skills or knowledge that you have acquired from other experts, peers or mentors?
• How willing and able are you to learn from the expertise of others?

E) What have you taught other people?

• Can you identify specific skills, motivation or direction that you have shared for a positive influence to others?
• How do you contribute to the community and improve your environment? How willing are you to share your knowledge?

F) What behavior did you learn as a child?

• Can you identify specific characteristics that would best describe your behavior?
• How would you describe your work ethic?

Every individual is different from the next one, and carries a unique blend of talent, skills and experiences. Character traits can be acquired or learned over the course of our personal as well as professional life, e.g. our childhood, our university days, our careers etc. These traits can contribute to success, reduce risk and be used to enhance the environment around us.In some cases conflicts may arise as a result of different character traits. For example, one person may have experience shaped by previous achievements or mistakes that have not been experienced by another, creating significantly different points of view. And in some cases the differences may be related to work habits or personality traits that were learned as child and not easily changed or influenced in the work environment. These conflicts can be moderated with a better understanding of the experience that shapes another's perspective (empathizing in a manner of speaking).

During the interview process it is the obligation of the interviewer and the individual being interviewed to determine how well the personal experience, knowledge and character match between the person and the position. This increases the potential for future success. And this match is commonly known as “the FIT”.

If you reviewed the questions as a personal assessment, it can be a meaningful review to reflect on your contributions, motivation and impact to your surrounding e.g. your family, your colleagues, your business partners etc. You have the opportunity to share something of yourself with those around you. In return, you will be given a good opportunity to continually develop your personal knowledge by learning from the unique experiences of those around you. What you do with these opportunities will go a long way in helping to shape your character and your potential for the future.

Using Appropriate Words During An Interview

Ever since my last posting got published, I received comments from a number of people related to my statement on tripping “all over the place with their words …” asking me for advice on how they can avoid this during their interviews.

When answering to questions during an interview, the words use to present yourself say more about you than you think. In fact, your vocabulary and the use of appropriate words say more about you than the message you are trying convey. You will be judged by the words you use during an interview. When you are looking for a job it is not only important to use the “right” words and language - it is essential and extremely critical.

It begins with the way your resume is written and continues throughout in the way that you respond to the questions interviewers asked during the course of an interview. There are industry-specific “key words” or “lingo” for each position within that industry, and in order to be prepared it will be important for you to do research on these words and to use them as deem fit. If you do just that, you will sound more professional and knowledgeable.

After reading that last paragraph, you will be asking “How will I know which words are “key”?”

Well, the simplest way to find such “key words” is to look at job descriptions or job advertisements. For each position there are common words that describe job requirements or pre-requisites. Job advertisements contain a good list of qualities and skills employers will be looking for in a candidate – I call it their “wish list.”

For any given position you are applying for, you need to ensure that you include these key words in your cover letter and resume. Hiring managers, HR and recruiters alike will seek out these words to select the resumes as qualified for the position. If these words are missing from your resume, I can guarantee you that yours will not be amongst those in the “selected” tray. Similarly, these are also the critical words you must use during the interview so that it will give the interviewer an impression that you appear to be someone who is a good fit for the position.

When you begin to develop your resume or prepare your interview script you will find these words invaluable. Of course, bear in mind that you would never use a word just to impress your interviewer. Knowing the definition behind the word is what will convince the interviewer that you know what you are talking about. Don’t use a word for the sake of using that word; you have to know what it actually means and how your experience is tied in with that word.

The correct words used can make a huge difference in a single statement – more concise and to the point - more powerful and impressive. Finding the “key” words will make your statements more powerful. Speaking the industry lingo will help you be taken more seriously as a candidate worthy of a job offer.

Preparing For That Interview

Once more, I simply cannot stress enough about the importance of being able to interview effectively.

I was talking to a highly intelligent MBA graduate yesterday who had approached me for guidance to help him secure a job offer, and prior to our conversation he had gone for his twelfth interview in the last 6 months but yet to receive a confirmed job offer. During our session, what he said prompted me to write a little more about handling the interviews (or more specifically, the Job Interview, in case some may misunderstand it to be about doing a survey interview), and I hope that this article can somewhat provide some insights and suggestions to those of you out there who are facing similar challenges.

It really doesn’t matter how awesome and great looking your resume appears to be, how many successful stories and accomplishments you have behind you, or how much knowledge, experience and network contacts you have acquired. And I will bet my last dollar in my pockets (or for that matter in my bank account) that whether or not you are able to land a job will have a great deal to do with how you answer job interview questions effectively.

Again, it’s no great big secret that a lot of prospective employees lost the opportunity of landing their much desired job by not being prepared for their interview. As a result, they trip over all over the place with their words, say the wrong things and not answering to the question, beat around the bush, or simply resort to falsifying responses; AND hope that nobody will take notice. If you think you can get away with that, then I can tell you right now that you are DEAD WRONG. And this comes from all my years of experience as an executive recruiter, having to deal with candidates and clients on both sides of the fence, and it is a given that the interviewer can immediately see through that kind of farce, and will not give that person a second chance once the session is finished. Don’t let that person be YOU! There's no reason for anyone who is smart enough to allow this to happen to him or her, so don't try.

And this is true even for managers, professionals and executives who are usually articulate individuals with excellent careers and track records. More often than not, a significant portion of these people tend to do badly in interviews because of a lack of serious preparation, and the belief that their accomplishments will speak for themselves.

Another important note I want to highlight for those of you who are in mid level and higher positions – the interview is not only used for gathering information about your experience and qualifications, it is also a way of assessing your management and presentation skills. And every aspect of the entire interview process is evaluated. So beware of not having prepared enough for that next interview.

There are easily hundreds of job applicants competing with you for the same position. Never think you are the only candidate and never underestimate those who are competing with you. Unfortunately accomplishments don't speak for themselves and a well-prepared candidate with highly-developed interview skills often gets a position over a better qualified candidate that was poorly prepared. By putting in the time and effort, and commitment, in researching the best way to answer job interview questions, you'll give yourself a huge advantage over your competition.

Like I always say, you need to differentiate yourself from the others who are also in line for that same job opening. You can take a look at the PPT presentation I have embedded together with my previous posting “It’s all about the Interview” on April 28th for some pointers on the initial preparation to be done.

Another small little tip … there are several resources you can utilize to learn how to answer job interview questions and the very first place I would suggest that you look for that is on the net. There are seemingly an endless number of dedicated web sites on the topic of how to answer job interview questions. These are people who do (or had done) the actual hiring for organizations so they really know what they are talking about so you may want to consider listening to their advice seriously.

Another great resource would be career consultants or career coaches who will help you prepare to answer job interview questions. As I'm sure you already know, having someone out there to actually guide you through the entire interview process will enable you to put your best foot forward, be more confident and well-prepared, and ultimately placing you in the best light possible.

Regardless of whatever approach you take, by all means take the time and the effort to practice. In order to get a feel for how you would really answer job interview questions when you're sitting in the hot seat, ask a family member or friend to sit down with you and role-play the interview process. This can be incredibly helpful in preparing you for the real thing. All you have to do is write out several different things you are likely to be asked, and then come up with logical and real responses to these questions.

Nowadays, quite a number of interviewers are adopting the behavioral interviewing style. And to prepare responses for this, simply use the STAR model – that is, ST (Situation/ Task), A (Action), R(Results). I will be touching more on this in another article I am writing so stay tune.

It takes a lot of hard work, determination, effort, perseverance and self-discipline to get hired these days. By doing your homework and practicing the art of how to answer job interview questions, you will go a long way in helping yourself to land that job. Good hunting!

It's all about the Interview

All through the years in my career as an executive recruiter, and now as a professional career consultant, I have come across many individuals who gripe about not getting the job that they want even though they were invited for interviews. Why? They ask … the reason’s actually quite simple but most people, more often than not, will somehow neglect it.

Give this some thoughts …. It’s not about where you went to school, it’s not about how fantastic your grades were, it’s not about how much experience you have, it’s not about who you know. If you aren't able to interview successfully, you just don’t get the job. Period.The interview levels the playing field! You simply have to differentiate yourself from all those people going for the same position.

In my earlier days, I have coached and advised candidates on the same topic of effective techniques in interviewing. And recently, I have compiled these materials putting together a series of workshops related to job search, interviewing and negotiating for better compensation.

The PowerPoint presentation I have embedded in this posting is just Part One on the topic of “Interviewing for Success” I have prepared. The rest is on the way so watch this space …