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Job Interviews: What Your Body Language is Saying

Some job interview tips are obvious: bring a resume, show up on time, wear a suit, etc. But, what does your body language say about your preparedness? What your fidgety hands say can speak volumes when compared to your polished and practiced interview question responses. In fact, your nonverbal communication can be the difference between “Welcome aboard!” and “Thanks for your time.”

Park Your Behaviors
It may surprise you but your interview actually started in the parking lot. Especially if you’re the first interview of the day, the interviewer could be visually combing the visitor parking spots for an unfamiliar car — YOU! Plus, the person that just parked two stalls over could be your future boss. Ensure you’re organized before stepping out of your vehicle. Holding a coffee cup with your mouth while placing your briefcase on your hood to dig for a copy of your resume doesn’t look professional.

Receptive Receptionist
The company gatekeeper has a tough job and if you treat her/him like they’re beneath you, chances are the hiring manager will hear about it. In fact, the receptionist might be the very first person you need to impress. Don’t overdo it though — just be respectful and polite. Choose a seat that places you at a 90-degree angle to the receptionist so that it doesn’t give the appearance that you’re staring.

Let’s Shake on It
When your name is finally called, stand slowly and place your belongings in your left hand. This will save your right hand for handshakes. If you don’t shake hands with people on a regular basis, find a friend to practice with. You might be surprise how “wimpy” or “death grip” your regular handshake might be. Neither one are appropriate for impressing a prospective employer.

Professional Development Tips

Many employees forget that they provide both a product and a service to a company. They get accustomed to the work routine and then fall into a bad case of doldrums. As time goes on, the product and service you originally provided when hired becomes less useful and in some cases, completely outdated. At that point in your career, your name could easily land at the top of the layoff list.

One of the best ways to avoid the unemployment line and keep your name off that list is to employ some professional development by updating your personal products and services. At a minimum, you should ensure your skills are keeping pace with technology. Who cares if you’re an expert DOS programmer; how many of those positions do you see advertised on today’s job boards? Probably none!

If you don’t have your bachelor’s, take night classes until you graduate. If you’ve already cleared that hurdle, attend seminars and community classes to expand your horizons. Even if the curriculum doesn’t directly relate to your current position, it could in the future. For example, if you’ve always wanted to learn Spanish, take a beginning or conversational Spanish course. If you find yourself unemployed, you’ll be able to apply for that position that states, “bi-lingual required.”

Another item to keep an eye on while you are employed is your resume. Depending on the amount of years you’ve been at your current job, your resume could be collecting a lot of dust. Review your resume every six months to ensure it is current in every aspect: education, training, accomplishments, and responsibilities. Keeping your resume current doesn’t mean you’re job hunting; it is simply a tool that you’re keeping sharpened in case you need to use it.