Nonverbal Cues for Interview Success

Verbal communication is what prospective job seekers mainly focus on when prepping for an interview, but many do not know the importance of non verbal communication. A study at UCLA determined that 93 percent of communication is nonverbal. Practice managing your nonverbal communication skills will dramatically improve your presence in interviews. Below are a few tips to get you started.

For starters your initial posture in an interview is a pertinent aspect to your success. Standing and sitting up straight and having a firm handshake will assert your capability and confidence. This is even important while waiting in the lobby for the interview to begin as you should give off an upbeat impression that will outwardly convey that you are pleased to interview with a potential employer. Keeping your hands together with your fingers interlocked communicates nonverbally that an individual has self confidence and is comfortable. Similar natural and meaningful gestures should be the only ones utilized during an interview while excessive aggressive gestures should be limited.

Listening is conveyed through eye contact and is a major aspect in an interview setting. Showing nonverbal signs that indicate not listening can give the impression of a short attention span, low confidence, and a lack of interest in what the interviewer is saying. A quick and easy way to practice this skill is to have others observe your eye contact while listening and speaking. Continue to practice until you have maintained a certain comfort level throughout the interview.

Finally, understanding cues given by your interviewer can also be a valuable technique. Nonverbal cues from your interviewer can indicate when you’ve explained a topic sufficiently which can be very useful in question and response interview segments. Checking for change in facial expressions, levels of eye contact, and body movement and placement are imperative in this respect.

Not only are these nonverbal actions helpful for interviews, many of these same principles can also be used when attending job fairs as career fairs can also be seen as 1st interviews. Being aware of these non verbal communicators may provide an edge over the competition for the job you are seeking by giving you new skills to manage the impression you give off as the perfect candidate for a job opportunity.