Is Your Non-Verbal Communication Style Ruining Your Job Interviews?

As published in #Forbes Magazine. Rebecca Bosl is founder of The Dream Life team and a career coach, resume writer and former strategy consultant. She creates stunning, top-tier Executive resumes that land job offers in as little as 4 weeks.

Communication isn't just about what you say. It's made up of three components:

• Words: What is actually said

• Tone of voice: How we say it

• Body language: What we communicate with our face and body movements or non-verbal communication

While some claim that body language accounts for a large percentage of all communication, others find that speculation to be a bit high. Regardless, it is clear that body language plays a very important role in communication.

So how can you be sure to convey the right body language and tone of voice in a job interview? The following are important disciplines to start practicing on a daily basis so they become social habits.

Part 1: The Greeting

1. Smile, but not too much. Be the first to smile so you come across as a genuine person with a friendly attitude. Follow this with a friendly “hello." While everyone likes a friendly person who smiles, a person who smiles too much could come across as needy, co-dependent or insecure.

In one study, students who played candidates for the position of manager and research assistant were less likely to be considered for the job when they smiled during the middle of the interview. Hiring was actually maximized when applicants smiled less. Another part of the study demonstrated that candidates fared better when they smiled more often for positions such as a customer service representative or a salesperson.

Simply moderate how much and how often you smile so you don’t come off as being timid.

2. Make eye contact. For every interview you have, when your interviewer comes to greet you, ensure that you look them in the eye. In a study by Northeastern University, "Those who consistently made eye contact while speaking were considered more intelligent than those who did not."

It’s good to practice making eye contact. Get used to looking directly into people's eyes when you first meet them. Notice the color of the other person’s eyes as an exercise. Pretty soon, this will become a natural habit.

3. Give a firm handshake. Give a firm and respectful handshake – not too strong and not too light. A firm handshake will communicate confidence.

Part 2: During The Interview

1. Lean forward and keep an open stance. When you and the interviewer are both sitting down, lean forward slightly with your heart pointed towards him or her. Leaning in shows that you are interested in what they have to say. Continue to make good eye contact, but ensure you don’t end up staring at the interviewer, as this could lead them to feel uncomfortable.

Keep an open mind and a positive attitude. Practicing openness communicates cooperation, agreement, willingness, enthusiasm and approval. Other open gestures include open hands, uncrossed arms and uncrossed legs. Plant both feet on the floor about a foot apart.

2. Be enthusiastic and confident. Numerous studies have found that candidates who project energy and excitement are more likely to receive a job offer. As written about in Psychology Today, “Candidates with higher affect, energy level, pitch and amplitude variability are significantly more likely to be invited back for a second interview than applicants who demonstrate lower affect, energy level, pitch and amplitude variability.”

The article also states that job candidates who don't show enthusiasm tend to be perceived as more anxious and less confident, making them less likely to be positively evaluated in job interviews. While it is important to be enthusiastic and confident, you don’t want to cross the line and appear cocky. Acting friendly and humble can ensure you appear confident, but not arrogant.

3. Synchronize.

Have you ever watched a synchronized swimming event? The swimmers naturally follow one another in their body movements, effortlessly gliding along in perfect harmony.

Synchronizing is a way to make the person that you are with feel open and relaxed. The “chameleon effect,” also known as mirroring, suggests that people tend to like each other more when they’re exhibiting similar body language.

If the interviewer crosses their legs, try doing the same. If they lean back in their chair, you follow. But be careful not to make it too obvious.

Besides synchronizing body movements, you can subtly match the interviewer’s attitude (as long as it is a positive one) and tone of voice. Synchronizing, like eye contact, is a skill that you can practice with others so that when you do it in an interview, you’ll be able to do so naturally.

Start practicing some of these tactics in social situations. Over time, they will become more natural, and you’ll become a more likable and relatable person not only in the job interview, but in social settings as well.

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