Effective use and interpretation of body language during an interview

Candidate showing proper use of body language during the interview.

When preparing for a job interview, many people overlook the importance of understanding body language during the interview. By thinking about sending and interpreting information through body language, you give yourself an advantage. Interviewers pay attention to how you look and what you say, but they also interpret your body language, whether they realize it or not. If you know what to look for, you can also pick up on the interviewer’s body language cues and by judging how the interview is going, you can respond appropriately.

Here’s how to use body language during an interview

Kinesics: the science of body language

We have all encountered people who stand or sit with their shoulders rounded and their head bent forward. We assume from such a posture that people lack confidence in themselves. If you’re talking to someone who won’t meet your eyes, it’s hard to trust them. It’s hard to like someone who never smiles. There is a science behind this aspect of human communication called kinesics.

Kinesics involves the use of posture, facial expression, movement and gestures for non-verbal communication. When interviewing, a job seeker can send positive body language signals and interpret and respond to the interviewer’s body language by understanding some basics about how to use body language during an interview.

Open and confident body posture

It’s natural to be nervous when walking into an interview room, but it’s important to walk in with an upright but relaxed posture – practice in front of a mirror or camera at home. Keep your head straight and your shoulders back but relaxed. When sitting, choose a position that is ideal for eye contact. It’s fine to sit on the back of a chair if it doesn’t make you slouch.

During the interview, lean forward slightly when the interviewer is speaking to show that you are listening. Alternating between sitting and leaning tells the interviewer that you are engaged. For example, you can lean forward to listen to a question and then sit back and step back for a few seconds to show you’re thinking before leaning forward again to give your answer. While you don’t want to be rocking back and forth every shift, changing your position every now and then shows you’re paying attention and keeps you from looking stiff and nervous.

Hands and arms

Many people struggle with what to do with their hands due to a lack of information about using body language during an interview. Before the interview, practice keeping your arms in a relaxed position. Don’t cross your arms in front of you because you look defensive and closed off. If your chair has armrests, use them, and if you’re sitting at a table, rest your forearms on it. You can hold your hands in several different ways to show openness and prepare them for when you decide to use a gesture.

• Folded on top of each other: If you have a counter or desk, placing one hand loosely on top of the other can be comfortable for some, and you look confident but relaxed.
• Intertwined fingers: If you’re nervous, intertwining your fingers can help keep them still. Instead of interlacing them with your palms facing down, you can try placing them pinky-fingers-down with your fingers slightly interlaced. A tight crease can make you look tight.
• Transverse: By holding your hands out in front of you with your fingertips touching, you appear thoughtful but relaxed. Don’t put them together like you’re praying. Simply rest a few fingertips together with fingers up or forward. Keeping your arms in this position during an interview can look unnatural, so alternating between slanted and flat or slanted and gently intertwined allows you to move your arms to show that you’re engaged.
• Virtual interview: If you tend to spin around, try sitting on your hands. This is one advantage of Zoom and other virtual platforms – no one can see you sitting with your arms folded, but they will see you spin.

Keys should be comfortable, confidence-inspiring and, above all, avoid rotation. Experiment, decide the position of the hands in advance and practice so that it feels natural.

Gestures

Gestures play an important role in displaying the right body language during an interview to show the interviewer that you are confident.

• Handshake: An important gesture is the handshake. Make sure you offer your hand, take the interviewer’s hand firmly, make eye contact and smile.
• Nodding and tilting the head: Nodding or tilting your head thoughtfully can effectively show that you agree or are considering what they are saying. Don’t, on the other hand, keep nodding off like a fool. Instead, use a nod to demonstrate enthusiasm or understanding of the interviewer’s point of view.
• Hand gestures: Use subtle hand and arm gestures to emphasize something. Make sure your hand movements are natural and restrained. Professional speech preparers practice gestures in front of a mirror or camera to look natural and appropriate. Prepare for an interview in the same way, because if the gestures are abrupt, lavish or too frequent, they are distracting and convey either nervousness or aggression.

Facial expression

Examine yourself in the mirror and practice keeping your expression pleasant and natural. Remember to smile at appropriate times. If you have trouble with a natural smile, think about something that makes you happy and see how your face looks. If necessary, keep this thought in mind when interviewing. Use your eyes and eyebrows to express surprise or enthusiasm.

Interpreting your interviewer’s nonverbal messages

Understanding how to send the right messages is only half of the two-way nonverbal conversation. Use your understanding of body posture, hand position and gestures and facial expressions to decode your interviewer’s attitude towards you. Looking for cues about how your interview is going can help ensure successful use of body language during the interview. Some signs tell you that things are going well and encourage you to stay the course. Others let you know that the interviewer is not impressed and mentally moves on. You then have the opportunity to change the dynamic and direction of the interview. Trust your instincts and pick a couple to keep an eye on, as it can be difficult to concentrate on so many concepts at once. Here are two that might be helpful.

A mirror: When your interviewer mirrors your movements, whether you nod, use gestures, or lean forward when you speak, you can usually assume that things are going well.

Eye contact: If your interviewer stops making eye contact during an interview, this could be a warning sign. You may want to ask a question or volunteer additional information about a topic you’ve been discussing to re-engage. For example, you could say something like, “You asked about my experience with XYZ. Is it because I’ll be working with XYZ?” If you don’t have experience, perhaps you could demonstrate a similar skill or talk about how quickly you’ve learned new processes in the past.

By practicing in front of a mirror or camera beforehand, you can develop positive non-verbal communication skills and confidently use body language during an interview. The more you practice, the less you will have to think about this aspect of the interview. By focusing on your own body language, you’ll be more attuned to your interviewer’s nonverbal cues and be able to control the flow of the interview.