This is how Eye Contact & Handshake get you a Job!
Tips for improving your chances of acing an interview and getting closer to the job
- Eye Contact
Always make good eye contact, have a genuine, warm smile but not a phony smile. Use a professional gaze—80 percent on and 20 percent off—glancing off to the side 20 percent of the time.
Feel joy to meet that person, put yourself in a place of fun, saying, ‘I’m having fun and my body language will follow. I’m going to nail this job.’ Don’t roll your eyes around the room, be very present with (the interviewer); the ‘be there now’ rule.
- Firm handshake
Have a confident hand shake and don’t grip a hiring manager’s hand as if you’re testing your hand strength. Conversely, don’t be a limp fish, or pump it too excessively.
- Hands-free!
Keep your body language open and honest and don’t use anything in your hand: Don’t clutch onto a suitcase, purse, or briefcase, or hold onto anything that might create a barrier between you and the interviewer. Hands literally fill in the blank for you and it’s important to use your hands as punctuation, but never use choppy hand gestures. Keep your hands controlled and away from your face. Placing your hands between your hips and your shoulders will make you look more confident
- Maintain a pretzel-free body
“Don’t cross your arms, or ‘candlestick’ your body; these things show a sign of weakness. Your arms should be totally to your side and your hands should be more mobile.
- Nix the nervous habits!
Women should avoid playing with their hair during an interview (“Pull your hair back off the face!”), while cautioning men to shun the nervous habit of adjusting their ties while talking. We’re usually very nervous during an interview, but hands near the face is unacceptable
- Emulating body language
The interviewee should “mirror” the body language of the interviewer as a way of building rapport. Once the interviewer moves his or her hands on the desk, you may want to close your hand over the other on the desk, not mimicking exactly, but doing something similar. You should tilt your head in a listening position, which shows you’re interested. Also, lean from the waist, not from the shoulders.
- Belly Button Rule
Align your body with the interviewer using the “Belly Button Rule,” as this also generates a better rapport when speaking. Deception or lying may occur when your belly button is turned away during the course of a conversation, or it may indicate to the interviewer that rapport has been broken.
- Say ‘No’ to nod!
Don’t continue to nod your head during the course of an interview, though doing it once or twice in agreement is perfectly alright. Nodding your head sends a message that whatever you say I’m in agreement with. While executives and hiring managers love to read other people, they, too really have bad body language themselves. Some executives don’t think they need to show positive body language because they’ve made it. So, if you want to get the best out of your interview, don’t mimic their negative body language; just mimic the positive and you’ll appear more approachable.
- Nail the nonverbal!
Ninety percent of what we say is actually nonverbal, so if your body language doesn’t follow what’s coming out of your mouth you’re sending mixed messages. Most people are not cognizant of their own body language, of the non-verbal signals we send to others. Non-verbal signals are sent all the time and can make or break (an interview). Between a sender and a receiver, there are 2,000 messages each sent in an hour, or 4,000 total nonverbal messages.”
- Create a relaxed atmosphere
M Take the initiative to ease any possible tension if you are confident enough to so do. You can apply it toward anything in your life, not just a job interview. The better you do it in everyday life, the better you do it during an interview.
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