Blog Post: Interviewing Success: How to Use Body Language to Pass the First Three "Tests"

  Happy New Year!

  As the new year begins, many of you will be seeking new positions, and   
  hopefully going on interviews. In my last blog, I talked about the   
  importance of eye contact during the interview. In this blog, I’ll be 
  discussing how your body language can have a major impact on the way 
  that you’re perceived by the interviewer.

Congratulations— your resume made it past the scrutiny of the gatekeepers, and you’re now waiting in the reception area to be called in for the interview. Look around. Do you see all the other applicants waiting their turn as well? How are you going to stand out from the pack?

Make a great first impression! Within the first few seconds, the interviewer is making a preliminary decision about you, based upon what he or she sees and feels. Before you even get a chance to sit down and answer one question, you have to pass three “tests.” If you do, you stand a much better chance of successfully making it through to the end of the interview.

Test One: As you enter the room where the interview will be held, are you holding your shoulders up, exhibiting good posture, or are your shoulders hunched over? Proper, upright posture non-verbally communicates an important message: you’re confident about yourself as well as the position for which you’re applying.

Tip: Think of yourself as being 1” taller than you currently are. If you’re 5’10”, think 5’11”. This will remind you to stand properly. Even better tip: Practice good posture all the time, so you won’t have to give yourself any reminders! Standing tall makes you appear confident as well as feel confident. Tony Robbins, the great motivator, says it best, “Motions lead to emotions.”

Test Two: When you shake hands with the interviewer, are you shaking hands firmly, web-to-web, or are you giving the “wet noodle” handshake? When I say a firm handshake, gentlemen, I do not mean a bone-crushing handshake that might leave the interviewer in pain! As you shake hands, be sure to look directly into the interviewer’s eyes for at least a few seconds. Breaking away after a very brief glimpse might give the impression that you’re nervous or unsure of yourself.

Test Three: Are you greeting your interviewer with a warm smile? Smiling sets up a positive emotional climate and encourages communication. It also sends a powerful non-verbal message that you’re happy to be there and eager to be interviewed.

At this point, the interviewer is thinking: “Wow—I’m impressed with this candidate. I hope my gut instincts will prove true throughout the interview” or “Boy, what a dud! I can’t wait to get this interview over with and get on to the next candidate.”  Obviously, your goal is for the interviewer to be thinking the first of these statements.

If you follow my suggestions and pass the first three tests, you’re much more likely to be taken seriously during the rest of the interview.

Stay tuned for the next blog when I’ll be talking about the use of body language during the rest of the interview.

Marsha Freedman
Express Yourself Communications
Trainer, coach, and professional speaker
See website for free article on visualization,
as well as learning resources for presenters: www.xprself
mfreedman@xprself.com
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