Verbal and Non-Verbal Behavior
January 23, 2008
How important is eye contact with the interviewer?
Extremely important!
- Don’t look up at walls and ceiling for answers.
- Don’t cast eyes downward.
- One expert, recognizing that eye contact is hard to maintain in a one-on-one situation, says to look at interviewer’s NOSE.
What other nonverbals cues are important in a job interview?
Facial Expressions
- Smile!
Posture
- Sit up straight.
- Sit on edge of seat to appear eager.
Gestures
Personal Space
What kinds of bad habits and inappropriate body language create problems in job interviews?
- Um’s and uh’s
- Speaking too softly
- Fading out at end of response
- Touching face, mouth, scratching head
- Sweating
- Smoking
- Chewing gum
- Twiddling thumbs
- Tapping a pencil or fork
- Humming
- Whistling
- Nose picking
- Stretching parts of the body
- Staring
- Cleaning finger nails
- Using slang or profanity
- Calling the interviewer by his or her first name (unless asked)
- Touching things on the interviewer’s desk
- Fidgeting
- Twirling in chair
How can you make sure your nonverbals look right at the interview?
Conduct a mock interview with a friend and have the friend critique ONLY your nonverbals.
What kinds of hand gestures are appropriate in job interviews?
- Gestures should be subdued, but make sure you have some gestures.
- Smaller than for a presentation and not distracting.
- If you can’t keep from talking with your hands and using big, distracting gestures, keep hands in lap or hold pen.