Avoid These 3 Body Language Mistakes and Get the Job

There is no guarantee that your body language alone will get you a job — you have to have the right educational background and skill set, too. However, when you are competing for a position with other candidates who look as good as you on paper, subtle interactions during your interview can make significant differences. Avoid mistakes and look your best for your soon-to-be employers.

(Photo Credit: kaibara87/Flickr)

1. Posture

We’ve all heard about posture since we were teenagers. “Stand up straight!” I’m not here to tell you to stand up straight.

When sitting in an interview, leaning back too much may cause you to seem lazy or arrogant. It’s nice to be comfortable, but don’t settle into your chair like you are going to go to sleep. On the other hand, leaning forward may make you seem aggressive, or worse, like you are ready to leave now. If you want to seem professional and interested in the job, sit up straight, but relaxed.

2. Hands

So many of us talk with our hands, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. During an interview, avoid pointing or choppy hand movements. This has a way of making you seem aggressive, and may make an interviewer uncomfortable.

Best practice is to place your hands in lap, palms down. Bernard Marr at LinkedIn says that keeping your hands palms-up makes you look like you are begging, a definite mark against you in a job interview. You want to look confident and capable.

3. Little Movements

Fidgeting is the worst thing you can do. It makes you look nervous and unprofessional. Unfortunately, some people don’t realize they are fidgeting. Shaking your foot or playing with the ends of your hair are little things people do that may make a significant negative impression. If you want to help yourself stop fidgeting, try practicing an interview in front of a mirror. Avoid touching your face or hair and keep your feet still. Keep your hands folded in your lap to avoid playing with anything, such as a pen or a piece of fabric.

First impressions are vital. Do your best to come across as confident, relaxed, and ready to take on the responsibilities of a new job.

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