Is your Body Language on Your Side?

Author/s: Lisa Frederiksen Bohannon
Issue: Nov, 2000

During job interviews, do you and your body send conflicting messages?  Here's how to get your body in sync with your voice.

Jonathan was totally prepared for his interview.  At least he thought so.  He had researched the company's Web site and taken the initiative to visit its main office to observe the company's environment.  He'd spent the weekend doing practice interviews with his mom. On the day of the interview, he dressed in a nice pair of slacks, cleaned and shined his shoes, pressed his shirt, and left his earring at home.  When he arrived 15 minutes early for his appointment, Jonathan was confident that he would have a job offer before the interview was over. Instead, Jonathan was firmly excused without so much as a "Thank you for coming."

What Went Wrong

Here's what happened.  When the interviewer invited Jonathan into his office, Jonathan entered, mumbling, "Hi, uh...my name's Jonathan Myers. I'm here for the...uh...interview for the...ya know...the computer job that you've got going this summer."  When offered a seat, Jonathan plopped in the chair and proceeded to slouch down so that his chin could easily rest on his hand.

As the interviewer described the position and the company, Jonathan's eyes roamed the office.  When the interviewer said, "Tell me about yourself.  What are your interests?  What are your favorite classes at school?"  Jonathan thought he was on solid ground and started reciting the answers he had practiced with his mom. But he forgot to look at the interviewer.  Instead he focused on the interviewer's nameplate.  In his attempt to repeat everything he'd said to his mother, his voice sounded monotonic, flat--as if he were back in fifth grade giving an oral book report.  By the end of the interview, the interviewer was so irritated by Jonathan's nervous habit of tugging at his earlobe that it was all he could do to excuse Jonathan with a polite "Goodbye."

Unfortunately, Jonathan's body language had sabotaged his interview. Body language refers to the various ways in which we use our bodies to communicate.  Sometimes our body language is intentional, and sometimes it is not.

Effective Body Language

"The importance of body language cannot be overstated," says Carol Peterson, a former Silicon Valley human resources director. "Interviewers make a decision about whether they are going to seriously consider hiring an applicant within the first three minutes of an interview.  But, with practice and an awareness of what counts, an applicant can use body language to make a favorable first impression," says Peterson.  To better understand what your body language may be saying about you in an interview, consider the following:

1.  Focus on the person.

Making eye contact is one of the key components of effective body language.  "Being attentive and interested is largely shown with the eyes--'natural' is the key word," according to David R. Eyler, author of Job Interviews That Mean Business.  Blinking, staring, or looking away whenever you begin speaking makes it hard for you to connect with your interviewer.

2.  Make your voice heard.

According to Bob Weinstein, author of eight books on careers "Your voice must convey confidence and clarity."  Your voice--its tone, rate of speech, and expression--is the second component of effective body language.  When you respond to an interviewer's question in a tentative tone, your answer sounds like a question instead of a statement.  This gives the interviewer the impression that you are unsure of yourself, or that you may be searching for what the interviewer wants to hear.  When you speak too rapidly, you give the interviewer the impression that you are nervous, and not thinking about what you're saying.  And when you speak in a monotone voice, you leave the interviewer with the impression that you are not interested.  Moreover, the interviewer may lose interest in what you're saying.

3.  Make posture count more.

Posture and the way you control the other parts of your body are extremely important.  If you slouch, shuffle, or stoop, you send the message that you are indifferent.  If you wave your arms, clear your throat a lot, or pull on your hair or earlobe frequently, you may come across as insincere and unnatural.  If you sit or stand with crossed or folded arms or with your hands stuffed into your pockets, you appear protective, defensive, unwelcoming.  Your body--and how it moves, sits, and stands--says a lot about you.

4.  Your facial expressions should mirror your words.

You have heard the expression, "A picture is worth a thousand words."  Take it to heart, because your face is like a picture.  Facial expressions can say more than your words.  The way you scrunch your eyebrows, purse your lips, smile, or frown tells the interviewer more about what you really think and feel than any combination of words you might speak.  An "I know, I know" kind of look or an inappropriate smile suggests a sense of superiority and smugness. Smiling at an inappropriate time or with a forced smile that does not reach your eyes tells the interviewer that you are not paying close attention.  Staring with furrowed brow leaves the interviewer wondering if you are really interested or just trying hard to appear interested.

Thinking about all these body language implications can seem overwhelming at first.  You may worry about behaving self-consciously.  Don't worry.  Just be prepared.  Practice what you will say and see how you look in front of a mirror, or role play with a friend.  Remember: Be aware, but do not obsess.  Instead, try to relax and rely on the confidence that being prepared provides.

How to Improve Your Body Language

Try these tips to make your job interview as successful as your interview preparations.

* Before entering the room, take a few deep breaths.  Focus on where you are and what you are about to do. Be aware of your body.

* Concentrate on what the interviewer is saying.  Look her or him in the eye and observe facial expressions and body language to make sure what's being said is in fact what you are hearing.

* Think tall.  Keep your shoulders pressed back, tuck in your stomach, and feel your upper body centered over your hips.  Walk with a comfortable stride, keeping your arms and hands loosely at your sides.

* When you sit, position yourself in the chair so you can maintain an erect posture.  Gently grip the arms of the chair or interlock your hands in your lap to keep yourself from fidgeting.

* As difficult as it sounds, relax.  Remind yourself that this is a job interview, not the end of the world.  If you have prepared for the interview and are aware of your body language, then you must trust yourself to "perform" to your potential.

* Use a videotape recorder to tape a practice interview. Then, ask yourself:

--Did I maintain an enthusiastic tone of voice -- one that would give the interviewer the sense that I find the position and the company exciting and interesting?

--Did I enunciate my words, speaking each one clearly before moving on to the next?

--Did I avoid using sloppy phrasing or slang expressions? ('Sounds cool" is not the response an interviewer is looking for after he has just described the position he wants to fill.)

--Did my facial expressions coincide with what I was saying?

--Did look the interviewer in the eye?

--Did I maintain good posture? keep my hands in my lap? sit properly? appear relaxed?

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