Interview and Body Language

How To Perform Effectively In A Job Interview

Did you know that just by showing a strong resume or a CV to any interviewer nowadays does not exactly guarantee landing you the job. You may even be able to answer all the targeted interview questions correctly, but you will still be nowhere near in receiving and signing the appointment letter if your body language is sending the wrong signals and messages throughout the interview.

This may come as a surprise to many, but statistics has shown that words only managed to contribute 35% of the message being sent across, while the tone of your voice and body language have a commanding 65% of what's being communicated.

Just by observing your body language alone, an experienced interviewer can already access to the nature of your characteristics. They can tell whether you are a confident person or not, if you are the open and friendly type or the shy and quiet type, if you are a team player or a solo loner, or even if you are being honest and truthful or not. During the period of questions and answers, the interviewer will not only pay attention to what you say, but also observe intensely the way you say it. They will then look for all those answers, reactions and responses from you that match their qualifications for the position offered.

Regardless of whether you open your mouth or not, body language will inform the interviewer of your inner feelings. You will definitely not be able to get on their good side if you are without the knowledge or awareness of your negative attributes from your actions. Signals and gestures such as uneasiness, apprehension, weariness, dullness, dishonesty, and the lack of integrity will in fact project a bad image of you and will cost you the job application.

The importance of body language during the first four to five minutes of the encounter cannot be over-emphasized. Within this short period of time, a strong and lasting impression will be formed which can radically affect the outcome of the meeting. As a sign of respect and politeness, always wait for the interviewer to offer his or hand first before you extend yours for the handshake. While maintaining eye contact, grip and shake the hand firmly, but do not squeeze. Basically, the best results for inspiring confidence are produced with a firm positive handshake. In the contrast, weak and limp handshakes will only transmit a half hearted message that will only undermine and weaken an otherwise positive situation.

Be seated only after you have been asked to do so by the interviewer. At the same time, be mindful of your surroundings and avoid having to face a bright and shining window, as this will cause you to have difficulties in maintaining a positive eye contact. Remember not to be afraid to ask or request politely for a change of seating if you do not have an option or choice in avoiding the glare from the sunlight.

To start off on the right direction, you will have to position yourself in a confident and comfortable manner and totally avoid projecting any negative body language habits. Make sure that you always have room to move and reposition yourself if you happen to become restless or stiff. Meanwhile, secure yourself in a comfortably seated upright position to ensure that no part of your body is under any strain or stress, especially coming from the neck area.

Raise your head to the same eye-level as the interviewer to show an expression of interest, at the same time you may relax your shoulders but not to the extent of slumping to the seat. Place your hands loosely on your lap or put them on the armrest of your chair. By doing so, you can at any time use hand movements to support what you are saying to strengthen your commentaries, and make the conversation more interesting. With hand gestures supporting your words, the interviewer will look at you as confident and comfortable with the progress of the interview. Do bear in mind not to get over excited and resulting in overdoing the gestures and movements in exaggeration, as this will only project an unpleasant form suggesting apprehension or aggression.

Listed below are all the important and effective body language gestures and signals that you must always be mindful of during interviews:

Using the Power of Your Voice Successfully

* Project confidence and enthusiasm through the firmness of your voice.

* Don't pinch your voice too high. High-pitch voices are tough on the years and they will make you sound like a whining child.

* Avoid gabbling or mumbling excitedly, for nobody trust a fast talker.

* Do vary your tone and dynamics as you go along the conversation, but avoid speaking too loudly or too softly.

* Speak slightly slower than normal to generate a calm and steady presence, but don't overdo it.

* Always pause before beginning the next sentence to avoid instinctively reacting and having the wrong things coming out from your mouth.

* Control the range of your tones when speaking to avoid a dull and weary monotone.

Negative Body Language Actions and Habits to Be Avoided

* A fixed and unfocused stare shows that either you're day dreaming or your mind is somewhere else.

* Hesitating or looking away before or during when you're speaking suggests that you're unsure of what you're saying.

* Touching your face or your mouth constantly when speaking indicates that you're dishonest or hiding something.

* Doodling on paper shows you're not paying attention and also not interested.

* Tapping your foot continuously is annoying, distracting, and a sure sign of boredom.

* Folded or crossing arms suggests rejection and unwillingness to listen.

* Constant fidgeting indicates restlessness and boredom.

Positive Postures and Gestures

* Attentive: Nodding, smiling

* Listening: Verbal acknowledgment, nodding, head tilted, constant eye contact

* Responsive/keenness: Open arms, leaning forward, nodding

Negative Postures and Gestures

* Lying/Deception: Glancing around, face touching, eyes averted, hands over mouth, shifting uncomfortably in your seat

* Aggression: Clenched fists, hands chopping down, grinding teeth, finger pointing, leaning too far forward

* Bored: Doodling, slumped posture, foot tapping

Winning Signals for a Successful Interview

* The starting point of managing and mastering your subconscious body language is to adopt an open, honest and confident attitude at all times.

* When you're seated, don't fidget if you're feeling uncomfortable. Adjust your position slightly and sit up straight to maintain an alert position.

* If and when you're challenged with a difficult question, stay calm and be mindful of your negative body language habits before answering. Avoid rushing into an unsteady expression.

* Observe and mirror the interviewer's gestures. When they laugh, laugh with them, when they lean forward to emphasize a point, lean forward to show your attention. Postural and gestural echoing brings about togetherness and you will receive a more open response.

* Relax yourself to instill a calm and comfortable appearance. Do not hurry through the interview, just flow with the pace and let the interviewer set the speed.

* Maintain a consistent and attentive eye contact but remind yourself to avert your gaze from time to time to avoid staring.

* The expression of a smile can create positive emotional responses. It'll reestablish your pleasant nature and enthusiasm, but be mindful of over-delivering senselessly.

Body posture and gesture are vital ingredients during job interviews. Our emotions and inner feelings are easily communicated to the interviewer through our facial expressions, tone of our speech, and also our eye language. Make sure you sound confident and positive at all times by conversing in a steady, clear and controlled voice that can easily be heard and understood. Thin and weak voices seem to lack the vital energy and do not inspire confidence in others.

What you really want to do here is to focus and use your body language to define your skills, qualities and values in maximizing your potential to the interviewer.

Before the actual day of the interview, take some time to practice and rehearse with a family member or a friend using the role-play method. Remember that practice makes perfect. When you're well prepared, you can secure half of the job before even entering the room.

One final thing that you must always remember, as this is the most important aspect of any job interview. Be punctual and arrive on time. Being late is more or less saying goodbye to the interview before it even has a chance to begin. No company will be interested in employing a person who is lack of professionalism and corporate ethics. It is much better to be early by one hour than to be late by just a single minute.

By having the ability to use body language techniques to your advantage can boost up your social and working life tremendously. You can now discover all the secrets to reading your own and other people's behavior accurately, providing you the key to have complete power and control in any situation. It's time to open up to success, let your body speak up for you, and change your life for the better.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Lindall

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