Nail Your First Job Interview with These Body Language Tips

Body language is crucial, especially as nonverbal communication accounts for most of all daily conversation. It's especially vital when you apply for jobs—when your first impression might influence whether or not you get the position.

To help you prepare for an interview, we outline five of the most effective body language techniques for a successful job interview below:

1. Try to Imitate Your Interviewer

You might not realise it, but copying someone's body language can make them like you even more. This psychological phenomenon is known as the Chameleon Effect, and it describes our natural desire to imitate others' speech patterns and bodily movements.

Because individuals are more receptive to those who imitate them, consider quietly imitating your interviewer's body language the next time you're at an interview. Even something as simple as tapping your foot or echoing a word uttered by the interviewer can help the individual feel more connected to you and advance you to the next phase of the interview process.

2. Use Your Hands to Communicate

When you speak, gesturing with your hands helps you express yourself more effectively and helps others understand you better. Studies show that people who use hand gestures are viewed as warm, likeable, and energetic, whereas those who are less dynamic are perceived as rational, cold, and analytical.

The brain is involved in the relationship between gesture and speech; Broca's area is active both when speaking and waving our hands. As a result, gesturing can help you think more clearly and talk more simply. Make an effort to converse with your hands the next time you have an interview—in moderation, of course.

3. Strike a Powerful Pose

Before an interview, striking a "power pose" is a simple method to enhance your confidence. Power posing, according to experts, might be more successful than traditional confidence-building activities like talking yourself up.

Open stances, in which you take up a lot of space and keep your hands and legs apart from your torso, are what they call power poses. You can strike a pose before an interview, in which you throw your hands in the air and expand your stance as if you're taking acclaim after a performance. You will feel more secure in the interview if you take a powerful person minutes before the interview.

4. Keep Fidgeting to a Minimum

During the interview, you should strive to avoid making any nervous motions. Anxiety-related behaviours, such as twirling your hair, picking your nails, or tapping your foot, can only harm you in an interview. Fidgeting is a sign of tension, and it might make the interviewer uncomfortable. Furthermore, tense gestures can divert the interviewer's attention away from you and impair your trustworthiness.

During the interview, try to maintain a calm and confident demeanour by remaining still.

5. Make Your Handshake Flawless

Your handshake is crucial since it is both the first and last impression you make on an interviewer. A bone-crushing handshake can come across as excessive, as if you're attempting to make up for something. On the other hand, a shaky handshake can make you appear feeble and unqualified for the position.

Give a firm handshake and stare your interviewer in the eyes to achieve a balance between the two, which will make you appear credible and assured. A firm handshake can help you make an excellent first impression, and who knows, it might even be enough to get you the job.

Are You Ready to Ace Your Interview?

Now that you know how to behave during an interview, we are confident that you will make a great impression on your prospective employer.

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