02:34
When we go for an interview, most of us think carefully about what to wear and what to say but hardly ever about how to act – in other words, what our body language is telling the interviewer.
According to experts, body language accounts for 55% of the effect we have when communicating. Tone of voice accounts for 33% and words just 7% - so what you say matters much less then how you behave.
Employers nowadays are cautious about the fast-talking interviewee but they look increasingly for their signs which will show a person`s character and ability – such as body language.
You should always smile when you enter the interview room and when the interview has finished because first and last impressions count.
Moreover, you should also try to maintain eye-contact with the interviewer but not for too long.
Once you`re sitting down, your hands should generally stay loosely in your lap. Use them to male a point occasionally but never raise them above shoulder level.
In fact, body language is vital – and after someone has noticed if for the first time they`re unlikely to change their opinion because what to say. So, at an interview, take the trouble to get it right.