Mindqjobs.com : Interview Body Language

www.mindqjobs.com

Interview Body Language

www.mindqjobs.com www.mindqjobs.com

What can body language show?• Insecure or self-assured• Busy or a quiet type• Speaking truthfully or not• Are you prone to stress• How enthusiastic you are • Are you a nice person• Do you take your work serious• Do you have a sense of humor • Do you enjoy a joke from time to time.


Initial Introduction• Do not jump up excitedly when you are called in for the

interview• Shake hands firmly, but not too powerfully and look

straight at the other person• Look directly at the other person, and say your name• Choose a place from where you can clearly see all the

interviewers and from where they can also see you.


Body Posture• Adopt a posture that shows interest but still comes across

as being relaxed.• Sitting up straight in your chair at the beginning of the

interview, with your back against the back of the chair• If you slouch or hang sideways in your chair, it might

give the impression that you are not that interested in the job

• Sitting on the edge of your chair can come across as being a little tense and might give the impression that you feel uncomfortable


Body Posture• It is good to turn a little with your shoulders towards the

person asking the question and to lean forward a little. This shows an interest in what the other person is saying.

• It is also important to pay attention to the posture of your interview partners. In some cases you can achieve mutual tuning by adopting the same posture as the other person.

• Pointing your feet toward the door or leaning in that direction suggests that you want to end the conversation quickly and flee


Bad Body Postures

Slouching/Leaning on Arm Rest Folded Arms and Crossed Legs


Hands• Folding your arms across the body can be interpreted as a

defensive move.• Better to let your hands lie loosely on your lap or place

them on the armrests of your chair.• From these positions it's also easy to support your words

with hand gestures. • Keep your hands away from your face


Good Body Posture


Movements during the interview• Nodding your head while speaking is a good way of

supporting your words or adding meaning to them.• Hand movements can also help to liven up the interview. • Movements with your hands during an interview might

indicate that you feel at ease quickly.• It is better not to make too many hand movements at the

start of the interview but add them slowly throughout the interview.

http://www.selfgrowth.com/add.html


Movements during the interview• Watch the interviewers – if they are using their hands a

lot you can use yours too• If they don’t make movements its better not to make

movements• Tune your body posture to that of your interviewer• Try to avoid movements like drumming your fingers on

the table, shuffling your feet, kicking against the leg of the table, clicking of a pen


When should you look at whom• Look at all interviewers equally – by doing this you are

giving them a sign of trust• Look at the interviewer that is speaking. This shows you

are listening• It is okay to nod occasionally to show you understand

what the interviewer is saying• When answering first look at the person who posed the

question but while answering take turns to look at the other interviewers

• When emphasizing a point look at the person who posed the question.


Body Language of Interviewers• Important to see the body language of the interviewers –

use this to gauge how you are connecting with them• Notice the following movements – they show displeasure• Nodding in disagreement• Sigh• Fold their arms• Lean back


Nervousness• It is normal to be nervous during an interview• Not being nervous might portray a body language that

you are not very interested and worried about the outcome

• Interviewers understand that you are nervous
