Body Language Mistakes to avoid during a Job Interview !

Are you all prepped up for your next job interview? You may have spent hours preparing answers for the frequently asked questions, but it isn’t sufficient to ace the interview. Your body language can make a whole lot of difference in either making or breaking your career. Here, we have listed common body language mistakes to avoid during a job interview.

Many successful interviews hinge on how you present yourself, so make sure to send only the right signals. SynergisticIT can help you avoid some common body language mistakes that candidates often commit during an interview and how to avoid them to ace a job.

The way someone behaves during an interview can determine whether they succeed or not. When assessing a candidate, hiring managers form an opinion about trust within a few seconds based on a person’s posture, eye contact, gestures, tone of voice, and facial expression, not just the answers given in words. Since nonverbal signals usually have more influence than the words themselves, a compelling story will still be unsuccessful if the person’s body language appears closed off or their face looks bored.

Hiring managers assess a candidate’s posture, eye contact and small habits just as quickly as they hear the answers, meaning that these ten body language mistakes can make a well-prepared candidate appear to be nervous, closed off or uninterested.

You must have words that match your face.

Interviewees should pay particular attention to making their words match their facial expressions. Even if your mouth suggests that you are excited and taking part, your slumped shoulders, crossed arms or a tight jaw may indicate the opposite. In most cases, interviewers tend to believe the nonverbal cue when what your body and face show contradicts what you say; such a discrepancy can make the difference between receiving an offer and being rejected.

Speak, posture, tone.

Use short and simple sentences. Stop and then give your answer. Maintain a steady, friendly, and loud tone—don’t speak quickly nor remain flat. Sit up straight, lean in a little, put both feet on the floor, and keep your hands visible. Make only small movements. Don’t fidget, don’t check your phone, don’t give a slack or a too-strong handshake, and don’t stare blankly. Smile when it’s appropriate, nod while you are listening, and look at the interviewer or the camera so that your face matches the story. The same applies to questions about your behavior.

Greeting, eyes, and face

1. A slack, heavy, or missed handshake; a weak grasp indicates low confidence while a very firm one suggests aggression. When you match a strong and short shake with eye contact, in a video interview you should treat your initial look at the camera together with a clear greeting as a digital substitute.
2. Absence of eye contact, rapid shifts in gaze, or gazing fixedly at someone all count. If you look away, this may mean that you are disinterested or distrustful; keeping your gaze fixed for too long can seem overwhelming. Make use of natural eye contact and then briefly look away. When on video, look into the camera while you are speaking so as to appear to be making eye contact with the interviewer.
3. Maintain a blank or rather severe expression since a frozen look can appear unfriendly even if your answers are good; only smile if it is appropriate, nod to indicate that you have heard the question, and allow your face to reflect what you are saying.
4. When you touch your face, your hair, or your nails, actions such as rubbing your nose, twirling your hair, pulling on your collar, or biting your nails usually indicate anxiety or distraction. It’s best not to touch your face and instead place your hands loose when you are not using them to gesture.

As the saying goes, “The first impression is the last impression” You don’t want to look weak and unconfident by doing a limp handshake. Start and end your interview with a firm handshake, accompanied by a gentle smile and strong eye contact. Similarly, ensure that you are not crushing the interviewer’s hands as it exhibits aggressive behavior and can possibly close the door for your dream job.

The Impact of a Weak Handshake on First Impressions

1. Sitting with your shoulders slouched or hunched, or leaning all the way back or collapsing into the chair, may give the impression that you are lazy or not paying attention. Instead, sit up straight with your shoulders loose and lean forward a bit when you are answering so that you appear to be engaged without pushing too close to the table.
2. To cross your arms (or to make a barrier with a bag, a notebook, or clenched fists) – this kind of closed posture usually appears to be defensive. Instead, keep your arms open and relaxed with your hands visible on your lap or on the table.
3. Actions that are too large or continuous. Wild hand movements may appear theatrical or anxious; fixed hands can seem stiff. Make small and deliberate movements to match the points you’re making, then put your hands back in a resting position.
4. Playing with a pen, your foot, your jewellery, or your chair. Actions such as tapping, bouncing a crossed leg, or constantly shifting distract from your answers and may appear as if you are bored or wanting to leave. Instead, place both feet down, keep your hands still, and put additional effort into breathing more slowly.

 

Attention and energy

1. Look at your phone or watch; checking the time or seeing the screen shows that you’re impatient. Turn off your phone, put it away, and ignore the clock until you get up.
2. There’s a discrepancy between what you say and your body language. If you claim to be excited but instead appear bored, lean back, or speak very softly, you weaken your statement. Make sure your posture, the way you speak, and your facial expression match your answer since interviewers generally place more trust in nonverbal clues.

If you say that you thrive in a collaborative environment yet continue to sit slumped with your arms crossed and your gaze fixed on the table, the interviewer might have heard the word “not a fit” before your example had a chance to get through. So practice the scenario once on camera in order that you can spot any slouching, a blank expression, or a wandering gaze before the actual interview takes place.

Touching Your Face Repeatedly

Excessive face touching is one of the most common body language mistakes that job seekers often make in an oblivious manner. Whether it’s about rubbing one’s nose, playing with the hair, keeping your hand on the mouth, or touching the face, all are bad body language traits. It indicates an unprofessional attitude, and the recruiter can even interpret it as an act of deception. Next time you appear for an interview, recall this body language technique.

Using Endless Hand Gestures

There is no denying the fact that some hand gestures, like moving fingers, when speaking or clasping palms, are signs of confidence, but it has the potential to make you look either arrogant or nervous if done outrageously. Keep tabs on the interviewer’s personal space when gesturing and use subtle gestures only.

Failing to Mirror the Recruiter

Mirroring is a popular concept of imitating the actions of others while interacting, which shows that you are attentive and closely listening to that person.  Though it usually happens subconsciously, you can deploy this technique to leave a positive impression on the interviewer.

Why So Serious?

Smiling invokes positivity & helps you stay calm in front of the interviewer. Begin and end your interview with a warm smile to look more likable & approachable. However, if you smile too much throughout the interview, then it can denote your lack of taking things seriously and can probably land you in trouble.

Fidgeting

Excessive foot-tapping, fixing ties, playing with the pen, or shifting in the seat are the biggest body language mistakes that candidates unknowingly make. Since fidgeting is the key sign of nervousness and restlessness, avoid doing it in your interview. Sit straight, place your feet firmly on the floor, maintain your composure & channel your energy into giving pertinent answers to the interviewer’s questions.

Conclusion

‘Actions speak louder than words’; thus, checking our body language is of utmost importance, especially in formal settings like an interview room. Ensure that your gestures, facial expressions, and posture match your words during an interview. You can impress the recruiter with your remarkable non-verbal communication skills. In order to enrich your body language and develop some impeccable soft skills take our assistance. 

How JOPP prepares joiners

The participants in SynergisticIT’s Job Placement Programme are equipped technically, functionally, and behaviourally. To prepare them for interviews, SynergisticIT teaches joiners how to speak during interviews, how to manage their body language and facial expressions, how to control their tone, and how to deal with behavioural questions using mock interviews, coaching, and a large number of real client questions that include coding, behavioural and scenario sections. Interview preparation is provided as part of the programme, unlike the case with many bootcamps which charge extra fees. The coaching also includes advice on posture, eye contact, and on matching their answers with a confident expression so that joiners won’t lose a job offer due to sending out mixed signals. You can read the SynergisticIT reviews to find out about graduate outcomes.

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