Interview Blunder #5 – The Wrong Body Language

Body language often provides more insight about a person than anything articulated verbally. You can say anything you want; if your non-verbal cues don’t match, it won’t be believable. A couple of years ago I interviewed a candidate who claimed to be at a senior management level within the organization she worked for. This actually piqued my interest, because this particular organization was the subject of a reality show, and her department was featured quite often. I found it strange however that when I started asking more specific questions about people that would be her colleagues (based directly from the reality show), she began fidgeting with the cap on her bottled water. The further I probed, the worse it became. Soon she was sitting on the edge of her chair, and she would not make direct eye contact. It was obvious by now that she did not work in the department, or in the position that she claimed.

There were three body language cues she displayed, and each had an associated meaning. The fidgeting is linked to anxiety and unease; sitting on the edge of her chair is indicative of being physically or mentally uncomfortable; avoiding eye contact is connected to evasion and discomfort. Each signaled that what she had stated was not matching up with the truth, as a big portion of messages are communicated through body language.

It’s normal to be nervous, have anxiety and feel butterflies in your stomach before and even during an interview. Interviewing is something in and of itself that the majority of people out there do not enjoy. But just be careful not to let this anxiety get the best of you to the point where you are sending off non-verbal messages that will hurt you in the interview. Over time I observed different behaviors and body language cues, and would research the meaning of each new one I encountered so that I would be more in tune with what these cues meant. The following (including the three I mentioned already) are some that readily come to mind that you should be aware of as well:

Fidgeting = anxiety and unease

Sitting on the edge of your chair = physically or mentally uncomfortable

Avoiding eye contact = evasion or discomfort

Foot and Finger Tapping = stress, impatience or boredom

Slouching shoulders = lack of self confidence

Crossing arms = resistance or overconfidence

Looking at your watch = boredom

Biting your fingernails = anxiety, nervousness or boredom

Holding something in front of you = shyness or putting up a barrier

Shifting body weight = unease or discomfort

The fake smile = deception or lying

Now you can probably see quite easily how doing the opposite of some of these would convey a positive signal. For example, sitting upright with your shoulders straight shows confidence, and sitting comfortably in your chair shows you are at ease. It’s important to smile, but be genuine or it can appear to convey a meaning of deceit or dishonesty. With an understanding of what your body language is conveying, and a little training to correct the flaws, you will send a much more positive message to the interviewer. Something this important could be the difference between getting the offer or not.