Words are only part of the story, in the job interview process – and understanding body language is the best way to create success in your career. Body language is the sum total off all the signs we give off when we communicate, including gestures, posture, eye contact and more. These seven strategies below will help set you up for job interview success.
- Create Congruence: Jaqueline Farrington is a Seattle-based communications coach who says that we have to make sure our body language is in sync, especially in the job interview process. She’s the author of The Non-Obvious Guide to Better Presentations, and she has worked with hundreds of TEDx speakers and executive leaders. She says that body language is a powerful indicator of emotion, intent and meaning. “If your non-verbal cues are sending a different meaning than your words,” she shares, “there are two conversations happening. If you say, ‘I’m really excited about this next project,’ in a monotone voice, while slumped in the chair, arms crossed and eyes darting around the room, your body language has just betrayed you. In that scenario, your audience is going to be paying attention to your non-verbal cues, not your words,” Farrington warns.
- Put It on Video: Actions speak louder than words, but body language speaks loudest of all – especially in the job interview process. If you don’t understand how to create alignment and connection, the results can be damaging – if not catastrophic. “A wrong signal during an interview can cost you the job,” according to Tonya Reiman, author of The Power of Body Language. In a recent interview, Farrington, a classically trained actress with an MFA from Rutgers, says that rehearsal is the key to any presentation. But don’t stop with just recording yourself: you have to build awareness by watching yourself, too.
- Avoid Aimless Movement: Farrington says that movements that are not attached to anything you are saying are “aimless”. Gestures, like fluttering your hands, don’t do anything to help tell your story. “I’ll see people who over-gesticulate – where they have a gesture for every single word,” Farrington shares. “We just don’t speak that way.” Is there alignment in your words…and in what your hands, arms and body are doing?
- Eye Contact Still Matters: according to a 2022 Harvard Business School study, psychological safety (encompassing trust, connection and other positive emotions) increases with greater eye contact. Farrington suggests that you can raise your perceived gravitas and authority by doing a simple exercise, starting with holding someone’s gaze for 5-7 seconds while introducing yourself. The result? Greater alignment and connection – the two keys to success in the job interview. This 2016 study shows that eye contact is considered to be a sign of trustworthiness – a body language element in determining who to hire.
- Perfect Practice Makes Perfect: Reiman writes that we get fooled into thinking that speech must be the highest form of communication. But that’s not the case. Communication is multi-faceted. Farrington says 55% of communication is non-verbal, that’s why body language is vital. That’s also why interviews happen face to face (or face to screen): so that your potential boss can get a sense of your body language and your authenticity. So how can you get a sense for what your body language is really saying? Remember, you can’t correct or improve on something without awareness. Simply practicing for your job interview might mean that you are rehearsing mistakes. Does it really make sense to go it alone, using hope as a DIY strategy, when your career is on the line? A communications coach can help you to see things in your body language that you might not see on your own.
- Forget About Yourself: The reason that rehearsal and practice are so important? So that you can forget about yourself. “There are hidden rules to human behavior,” says body language specialist, Vanessa Van Edwards, in her best-selling book, Captivate. “We just need to know where to look.” Farrington says, “You know you are confident in the interview when you can get your attention off of yourself.” Practice and coaching can help you to feel confident in this regard. But how do you know if your attention isn’t on yourself in the job interview? Answer: You get curious. You ask questions. You turn the interview from an interrogation into a conversation. You realize that what you’re really talking about isn’t your résumé, it’s your relevance. Are you talking about your past, or are you able to move to what you might be able to do for the person right in front of you? Are you describing what you did in 2017, or talking about how you can be of service right now? The company is curious about you – are you able to share in that dialogue? When curiosity enters the conversation, on your end, you’re looking in the right direction!
- Care a Little More: How do we use our facial expressions, gestures and tone of voice to convey authenticity, sincere commitment and curiosity? Tactics, tips and strategies can help. But the real key for the “how to” of body language isn’t found inside a step by step guide. Like words in an interview, “how to do it” isn’t the whole story, when it comes to body language. Because “want to” is where it all begins. If you care more about what you are saying, that’s the first step to improving the way you say it. If your past, your accomplishments, and your potential become a little bit more important to you than they are now, you’ll find yourself with a greater conviction around your career. That caring and that conviction just might lead you to find the body language that aligns best with your story – because that’s the language that comes from the heart.
When the conversation matters to you, take time to focus on what matters. Don’t go into the job interview without alignment and connection. Otherwise, your body language can betray you. With a deeper understanding of effective communication, body language can convey a level of authenticity and commitment that supports your career ambition. Maybe you wonder what could make this whole job interview process easier. When it comes to your career, you don’t have to go it alone – that’s where coaching can make a difference. What story do you want your body language to tell, in your next job interview?
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