Job Interview Questions and Body Language Answers
Job interview questions and body language answers can sometimes reveal more than verbal responses. You may have practiced your answers to the common job interview questions aloud, but have you checked out what the rest of your body is saying? Psychologists claim that the majority of communication between two people is non-verbal and that if your actions belie your words, people are more likely to remember your actions. With that in mind, here are five non-verbal signals to watch to ensure you’re getting the right message across:
1. Handshake. Crushing the bones of an unsuspecting recruiter is every bit as bad as giving them a dead fish shake. Your handshake should be firm and confident without being painful.
2. Posture. Sit, stand, and walk like a healthy, productive member of society. Don’t hunch over the table like a cave dweller protecting your last meal or hunch your shoulders in like you’re expecting to be hit. Slouchers look like slackers to the corporate eye. Watch yourself in a mirror at home until you are confident you can maintain appropriate posture during the interview.
3. Eye Contact. Maintain confident eye contact when answering job interview questions. The answers are not written on the floor, on the ceiling, or in your lap. Shifty eyes can be interpreted as fearful or dishonest. Don’t stare, but keep your eyes focused on your recruiter throughout the session.
4. Hand Gestures. Using your hands while you talk is very natural. Just remember your hands are there to emphasize your words, not serve as the wings for your imminent take-off. If you are not sure what you do with your hands while you talk, observe your next phone conversation in the mirror—most people use the same gestures in their interviews.
5. Twitching, bouncing, or other fidgeting. It’s not an earthquake—that’s your leg jiggling the table! The woodpecker is your furious pen clicking. These and other fidgety activities distract interviewers trying to listen to your answers to their job interview questions. To avoid annoying the recruiter, control your fidgets. Fidgeting is also generally interpreted as a sign of boredom or nervousness, while those who are still are perceived as calm and confident.
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