Interviewing: Body Language and Nonverbal Communication

I remember reading once that 97% of communication is nonverbal. Knowing this to be true, we must all really REALLY be conscious of our body language ESPECIALLY in interviews. I am graduating college in May so, I will soon be embarking on my fair share of interviews. I have researched what experts suggest on this topic and compiled a list of the tips I found most helpful and applicable. I separated them by different body regions!

• FACE–

1. Smile, often! This shows humility and good spirits. Both important in a prospective employee.
2. Maintain eye contact! And never, ever, ever roll your eyes at anything your interviewer asks.

• Hands-

1. Try to not have too weak a handshake(this can suggest low self-confidence) or too strong a handshake (this may come off as aggressive)
2. Don’t fidget with your hands. It makes you seem nervous and jittery. People want to hire confident calm people.

• Body

1. Sit up straight in your chair. This is a piece of your mother’s advice that you really want to carry out during the interviewing process.
2. Don’t shrug your shoulders during an interview,ever. Even if you can’t think of an answer to a question, never resort to the shoulder shrug. It can come off as disrespectful and unintelligent.

• Clothing/Accessories

1. Don’t wear perfume to an interview. Some people do not like the smell of perfume or are allergic. You don’t want to take a chance on this.
2. Wear little to no jewelery. Also, make sure whatever jewelry you do wear is small and not flashy. You want to be the star in your interview, not your earrings.
3. Do not wear a purse- large or small. Instead carry a briefcase.

I want to thank What to Wear on an Interview, How to Use Nonverbal Communication in Hiring and How to Use Proper Body Language