How to Look More Confident During Your Next Interview
Corporate offices are slow to reopen after lockdown, and soon you can expect us to all return to old-fashioned interviews – in person. If just putting on a shirt, looking at the webcam and not hearing a fart may have been enough to present yourself as the consummate professional at Zoom Times, then sitting face-to-face with your potential future boss takes a little more finesse.
During the interview, your primary concern is to market yourself as a reliable and capable asset to any organization. But how to do that?
“One way a candidate can best prepare for an interview is to think about their body language,” says Tanya Luddy, senior recruiter at Broadridge Financial . “Good body language shows that the candidate is interested and willing to learn more about their role in the organization.”
And there are a few common red flags to avoid. This is a bad signal “when candidates are in a closed position — for example, crossing their arms,” says Luddy. “Another common mistake is letting your nerves get the best of you — shaking your arms or legs feverishly.”
Here are a few more ways to use body language to your advantage in your next interview.
Start your interview with a good entrance
Please note that the interview starts as soon as you enter the lobby. Are you looking down, biting your nails, or fiddling with your clothes while waiting for the receptionist? Stop that! While sitting, remember that you fidget or swing your legs nervously. Cross your legs at the ankles, sit up straight, keep your legs still and breathe.
When we talk about breathing, when we are nervous, we breathe in more shallowly, which makes our voices sound shaky. While deep breaths are always helpful, you shouldn’t be like a hedgehog who finishes 5 miles during an interview. Before it starts, try the 4-7-8 technique (inhale four seconds, hold seven, exhale eight) to calm your breathing and running thoughts.
Give a good handshake (but not too good)
We’ve all heard that shaking hands should be strong, because shaking hands too softly can make you weak or shy. But there is such a concept as too hard. The first message you send shouldn’t be “Say goodbye to your knuckles, sucka.” Strive for the middle ground between the weak fish and the WWE Undertaker.
(Pro tip: Treat sweaty palms with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.)
Monitor your posture and maintain eye contact
This may sound obvious, but it bears repeating: Sit up straight. Nothing expresses indifference and insecurity like a stoop. Chin up, shoulders down and back. (You already look more capable.)
And remember that while it can be uncomfortable at times, eye contact is key, especially when the other person is speaking. However, when it’s your turn, you can look up and around from time to time trying to figure out what to say; but you should always come back to meet the interviewer’s gaze. When in doubt, pretend you’re talking to a friend (without showing him your favorite memes of the day).
“The successful candidate will make eye contact as he speaks and will also have excellent posture with the shoulders facing forward and to the center,” says Luddy.
Keep your hands off your face (and smile)
If you have a one-off itching, this is one thing. But if you spend a significant amount of time with your hands on or next to your face, especially near your mouth, it can send a message that you are uncomfortable with what you are saying. When you are not gesturing, keep your hands on your lap. And while we do this, leave your accessories alone.
“One day a candidate was so nervous that he twiddled his fingers around his necklace all the time,” Luddy recalls. “When the interview ended and I went to shake her hand, she couldn’t because her hand got stuck in her necklace.” Don’t be that girl.
And don’t forget to smile – smiling not only conveys warmth, sensitivity and positivity, it also helps lower stress hormones and activate mood-enhancing chemicals in the brain. (Plus, no one wants a boring shake for a coworker.) Before you even get to the interview, let a fake silly grin entertain and start a fun party.
“Don’t underestimate smize,” adds Luddy. “Smiling with your eyes every now and then is a great way to show confidence.”
Listen carefully and try using the mirroring technique
However, try not to waste so much mental energy on all of the above that you forget to actually listen . Active listening is a key part of any interview; you may even want to lean forward slightly in your seat to encourage yourself to listen more carefully and show the interviewer that he is fully focused on you.
Mirroring or copying someone’s body language is also a subtle but powerful way to communicate a connection. Stand directly in front of the interviewer, sit in the same position and try to match the tempo, volume and rhythm of his words.