Body Language
Body Language is something we’ve all heard about, probably know a little of and it’s quite interesting to a point. But should we be taking body language a little bit more seriously, especially when on interview to just give us that extra edge.
So what do we know already? We know that crossed arms is very closed off and negative, we know that good eye contact is essential to show that you’re interested and engaged. And generally know about the firm handshake – not the wet fish and not the hand breaker. But let’s assume that we’ve got these basics covered, but is there anything else we can do to enhance our chances and create a better psychological impression?
So it turns out that when it comes to taking in information from our surroundings, our senses work as follows:
Ears – 11%
Eyes – 82%
Other – 7%
82%! That’s a fantastic figure! And it takes someone just 7 seconds to make a judgement based on what they see.
So the first impression – well of course we know it’s important, but a figure of 82% of information being picked up by our eyes hit’s it home doesn’t it. So perhaps we should get that suit dry cleaned, give the shoes that extra bit of elbow grease and iron that shirt just that little bit more carefully.
But back to body language, what else can we do over and above the normal.
Well, the key here is to create a feeling of trust and openness. To appear confident and in control. Not always easy on interview as confident and in control is the last thing you feel like. But actually, by ensuring you work on your body language, you can actually take back control over those nerves!
Some do’s –
Lots of eye contact and smile! Not like a mad fixed smile, but a happy demeanor. When the interviewer says something that you agree with, nodding is great.
Mirroring – Very powerful in interviews, sales pitches and any situation to get someone on board. If your interviewer uses hand gestures , you use the same hand gestures, if they touch their head when thinking, you touch your head when thinking. If they lean forward, you lean forward.
Leaning forward. As mentioned, it’s a great way to mirror the interviewer, but actually it shows real interest and enthusiasm in what the other person is saying. It’s a great tool to use.
Gentle touch on the arm – It’s been proven that a little touch on the arm of the interviewer is a great thing to ensure they choose you. Sounds odd doesn’t it? Well, in Michael Gerber’s The E-Myth (a great book by the way), he talks about the power of the final touch. It’s to be used carefully of course, but as you leave, the interview, a hand on the arm or shoulder is a great way to close the meeting. Actually, I just bought a car, and the salesperson did it to me and sure enough, it made me feel special and liked. Now I’m not suggesting that you cross the room before leaving, and place a hand on the interviewer and then turn and walk out. But if you find that you are being walked out, and it’s appropriate, then give it a go.
And Some Don’ts
Don’t Slouch – The amount of people we interview that slouch! It creates such a bad impression – it says, I’m lazy and can’t be bothered!
Don’t Move around – This includes tapping your fingertips in the arm rest or jiggling your leg up and down. It’s a sign of boredom and impatience. Keep both feet planted firmly on the floor to avoid the temptation. It’ll help to keep your posture straight and focused on your interviewer, which in turn will make you seem more focused.
Touch your face – Unless you are specifically mirroring, touching your hair or rubbing your nose can give off the message that you are not trustworthy and dishonest. Twisting your hair, rubbing your neck etc can make you look disinterested.
Pointing – that’s just wrong, you wouldn’t do that anyway would you!
Fold your arms – It’s closed and very negative.
There are some fantastic articles out that there about Body Language. I have read some really interesting blogs and research about it whilst preparing this blog. You can go as deep as you want to with this, from this blog which just covers the basics and tries addresses the main issues that we come across in interview feedback, but through to full analysis of hand gestures, eye movement etc. I would suggest that going in too deeply could do more harm than good and common sense needs to be applied, but it’s a fascinating subject and I am off to practice some techniques on my customers!