interview

Important Nonverbal Interview Points

Interview Tips and Interview Techniques

Article courtesy of InterviewConcepts.com

Eye contact - Interview Tip #1

Unequaled in importance! If you look away while listening, it shows lack of
interest and a short attention span. If you fail to maintain eye contact while
speaking, it shows lack of confidence in what you are saying. It could possibly
send the subtle message that you are lying. Do not assume you have good eye
contact. Ask. Watch. Then practice. Ask others if you ever lack proper eye
contact. If they respond that they did notice, ask if it was during speaking or
listening. Some people maintain excellent eye contact while listening, but lose eye
contact when speaking. Or vice versa. Next, videotape yourself and watch. It
does not necessarily have to be your mock interview; in fact, if you were
videotaped informally (that is, you were not aware you were being taped), this
will provide even stronger evidence. Then sit down with a friend and practice
until you are comfortable maintaining sincere, continuous eye contact.

Facial expressions - Interview Tip #2

It continually amazes me how many people are totally unaware of the negative,
confused, or even mildly strange expression plastered on their faces during the
course of the interview! Take a good, long, hard look at yourself in the mirror.
Look at yourself as someone else would. Then modify your facial expressions-
first eliminate any negative overall characteristics that might exist, and then add a
simple feature that nearly every interviewee forgets to include--a smile! Not some
stupid silly grin, but a true and genuine smile that tells the hiring manager that you
are a happy person and delighted to be interviewing with his company today.
You do not need to keep the smile plastered on for the full interview, but
remember to keep coming back to it. Your smile will be contagious, and the hiring
manager will be left with a more favorable opinion of you as a happy person if
you repeatedly show your smile.

Posture - Interview Tip #3

Posture sends out a signal of your confidence and power. Stand tall, walk tall,
and most of all, sit tall. When standing, stand up straight. When you are seated,
make sure you sit at the front edge of the chair, leaning slightly forward. Watch
where your feet are located. If you have long legs, make sure your feet do not
become entangled with the hiring manager during the interview. Remember. I
would not have to say these common sense things, however I have seen
candidates in the past make these mistakes and lose the opportunity.

Space - Interview Tip #4

Recognize the boundaries of your personal space and that of others. If you are
typical of most Americans, it ranges between 30 to 36 inches. Be prepared,
however, not to back up or move away from someone who has a personal
space that is smaller than your own. For most of us, the awareness of our
personal space is enough to consciously prompt us to stand firm when speaking
with someone. If you have a smaller than average personal space, make sure
you keep your distance so that you do not intimidate someone who possesses a
larger personal space. If the hiring manager backs away, use this as a clue that
you are into his/her personal space and you are possibly making them feel
uncomfortable. We never want the hiring manager to feel uncomfortable during
the interview.

Nonverbal Interview - Interview Tip #5

Don't just give lip service to the concepts discussed to this point-practice them!
How? The answer is with a Nonverbal Interview. Unlike the mock interview, this
one does not require a great amount of work-you just need a friend who will
serve as your critic. Ask the friend to ask questions, but instead of focusing on
your answers, ask him to make note of your nonverbal and body language and
the impression you are making. Or play back your mock interview on video with
no sound. You may be surprised at what you see.