For most people, a job interview can be a nerve-wracking process—even though this necessary evil can lead to great career opportunities. It’s stressful to think about all of the competition you may face, particularly if you’re competing for a job that you really want.
Most career advice that you hear stresses the importance of practicing what you will say to a potential employer during an interview. While that’s certainly an important way to get a leg up on your competition, it’s really what you don’t say that can make or break your candidacy. Your nonverbal communication can say a lot about you and if you don’t manage these cues wisely, you can potentially turn off a hiring manager, even though you may otherwise be an ideal candidate for a position.
In fact, nonverbal communication makes up the majority of what we convey when interacting with others—60 to 70 percent—so in order to give a good impression to an interviewer, you should manage your gestures as thoroughly as you do your words. When we don’t pay attention to our body language, we can put other people off in ways they are not even consciously aware of.
“In the end, the interviewers may have this gut feeling about whether they like you or not and it’s often the nonverbal communication that gives them that feeling,” said Ron Krannich, author of Savvy Interviewing: The Nonverbal Advantage.
Before you think, “oh, great, another thing I need to worry about when looking for a job,” rest assured that managing nonverbal communication can be easy with a little practice.
Part Two: Nonverbal behaviors during interviews
Part Three: More interviewing tips
More Workplace Communication:
Bosses afraid to communicate
Characteristics of e-mail communication
Don’t call me Liz!: Elizabeth Becton incident illustrates workplace communication breakdown
Why texting and job hunting don’t mix
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