4 Body Language Skills to Impress Your Interviewer

Body Language Skills in Interview

It is possible to use your body language skills as an excellent tool to exude confidence and well-being, to catch the eye of your interviewer and set yourself apart in a room full of interviewees. They need to see that you are a person who is comfortable in his skin and someone who is effortlessly graceful and easy in day to day social interactions. They need that reassurance that you will be the right fit for their board room discussions and high-level client meetings. Below we recount the four key body language tricks to impress any interviewer and increase your chances of landing the job.

1. Eye Contact

Eye-contact is the first and most important element of body language communication. When you first walk into the room and greet the panel of interviewers seated in front of you, they will be checking to see if you make eye-contact with them. You might not notice this but be rest assured that they will be scouting for this cue. It is important to look your interviewers in the eye for a brief moment when you first meet them and say your greetings.

A good steady eye-contact makes a very positive impact. When propounding an idea of conveying a thought, avoid looking up to the ceiling at all costs. Your eyes should not be searching for answers above, as that gives out the impression that you are lost and takes away from your confidence. Darting eyes give out the impression that the interviewee is nervous, so it’s best not to shift one’s gaze too much or too fast. It’s okay to pause and look down anytime one needs to. 

2. Handshake

A lot like a first kiss, a first handshake is going to tell a lot about you and contribute substantially toward the first impression you are going to make, along with your eyes and your voice. The interviewer is feeling the firmness of your hand, and it is sending subliminal cues to his brain about the firmness of your character as a person. While offering a hand, the palms cannot face upward as it can be construed as a sign of weakness, while offering a hand that’s facing downward appears insolent and disrespectful. The hand is to be offered sideways, best standing up.

There is no need to prolong the handshake or continue to pump the other person’s hand until it gets weird. A short firm shake of the hand will convey that you are professional and confident. After all, you will need a lot of those handshakes when closing deals or meeting clients. Let the interviewer see right away that you know how it’s done.

3. Voice

This is the most overlooked body language cue, but one that’s importance should not be understated. When you open conversation with your interviewers, does your voice sound warm, inviting and confident? Take care not to speak too fast or in too high a pitch. Speak in a lower tone so that your words are well-formed and meaningfully conveyed, rather than just delivered in a rush as if you had a script prepared beforehand that you just want to get done with.

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4. Good Posture

Once the greeting and the handshake are over, the interviewer will naturally request the candidate to take a seat. It’s advisable to take a moment to make sure you look good and relaxed while sitting down. It serves well to drop the shoulders, which gives the candidate an air of effortless confidence. It’s no good sitting gingerly at the edge of the chair, so feel free to take up some space. But going all the way back into his chair might make the candidate look a little too relaxed.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to check that the feet remain on the floor and the knees together, preferably, tilting slightly toward the interviewer. Lean forward during the conversation to show that you are interested in what the interviewer is saying, place your hands on the table or the desk if you have to. Keeping the hands where the interviewer can see it shows you are trusting while folding them in the lap or hiding them seems shy and guarded. 

Keeping these four fundamental pointers in mind, it is possible for anyone to create an impeccable first impression with the interviewers and increase their chances of getting a call back from the company. Use your body language to forward your cause and do not let it get in the way of realizing your intentions.