What is Body Language for Interviews?

Did you know that your body, especially in situations of tension and apprehension, speaks more about you than the words that come out of your mouth? To this set of nonverbal actions like gestures, facial movements, posture, and proximity we call body language.

Being one of the earliest forms of human communication and also the most expressive, body language had its first scientific studies by Charles Darwin, which were published in the book "The Expression of Emotions in Men and Animals" In it are described how animals also feel anger, fear, joy and demonstrate this through expressions.

Now imagine that you are looking for a job, everything you say in the interview is already rehearsed but what will your body say about you? Hence comes the importance of learning and working well in body language.

During internship or job interviews it is common to feel agitated. This nervousness makes us, in those moments when we try to use the right words and speak what we believe to be the expected, end up forgetting that body language plays a fundamental role, attracting or repelling other people even before words are spoken.

So to help with your preparation, I'll show you in this article what your body language can convey, tips on how to behave during the interview, and even talk about the most common mistakes related to "body language reading." Are you curious? So let's go!

What is body language?

Body language defines our form of non-verbal communication. Do you already know the expression the body speaks? It is the truth. Our movement, arms and hands, legs, eye contact, face and appearance are bodily signals that convey messages about our emotions!

Want to know curiosity? A University of California survey by Albert Mehrabian found that 55% of our communication comes from our body language and only 7% comes from verbalization. Are you surprised?

Types of body language

Kinesics: related to facial expressions, look, gestures and posture.

Proxemics: related to physical space, the distance between people.

Tacesic: corresponding to the touch.

Physical appearance: Appearance and body shape.

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What can your body language convey?

The way we walk, sit, look, stare, the position in which we lean the head, the gestures, the posture and the clothing are observed during an interview, and body language, although inherent in human nature, usually doesn't receive the attention needed by most people.

That's why interviewers and experts are trained to fully observe the body language of the respondent, to draw valuable information that no resume will give. To better understand, see some practical examples of how examiners can read your attitudes:

1. A smile shows that you are open to new knowledge and that they are welcome to you, and in addition, conveys serenity.
2. Enter the room with upright posture, head held up looking into the eyes of the recipient so that you are confident and confident of your goals.
3. Enthusiasm gives more importance and vitality to what you are communicating, but too much, can indicate nervousness, insecurity and excessive need for self-assertion.
4. If your head is too raised, it indicates feelings of superiority or a great effort to cover some fear.
5. Maintaining constant eye contact with the interlocutor demonstrates attention and acceptance of what is being said, but this does not mean that your eyes can not deviate at one time or another, nor that you absolutely agree with everything that is being said.
6. Looking down denotes disappointment and sadness, and raising eyebrows indicates doubt, while looking sideways shows that you are thinking, did not understand or do not agree with what is being said.
7. Gestures convey enthusiasm and give greater emphasis during a conversation - while an aggressive or invasive person leans over the table, someone who is more shy sits behind in the chair. Thus, controlling the gestures too much demonstrates coldness or little case.
8. Your clothes also tell a lot about you and should fit the job you are looking for (as well as your purse, your shoe, your hairstyle and your accessories. In case you are a woman - a battered bag shows sloppiness, if the bag doesn't match the shoe, lack of common sense, messy hair refers to incompetence and too many accessories bring out an exacerbated emotionality for the work environment) .
9. The distance you assume from your interviewer reveals how you view your relationship with the person: intimate, invasive, committed, respectful, working, antagonistic, competitive, etc.

In the case of men, the same prerogatives can be said about wearing ties, cufflinks, suits colors, and shirt choices that give much contrast to the rest or the color of the skin.

Most Common Errors Related to Body Language

Remember this: the body speaks, but it does not always say what we would like! Much of our body language is involuntary, a natural reflection of our emotions. The big question is that with a little training we can better control these reflexes so they transmit exactly what we want.

In the website empregos.com.br the expert interviews and also the consultant Hay Group Brasil, Priscila Mendes, and João Pedro Caiado, human resource consultant and founder of the Human Development Organization, give tips on the most common errors related to "body language reading" at the time of the job interview and group dynamics .

• Be aware, arms crossed show discontent and lack of connection with the other, i.e. the communication channel is closed between you and the interviewer.
• Holding the purse or pen insistently may be related to a defensive posture, which for the selector shows insecurity.
• Not looking directly at the interviewer is the most frequent mistake, as it reveals that the candidate feels fear and does not trust himself.
• Those who like to sit on the edge of the chair indicate that they prefer the discomfort because they want to close it as fast as possible and leave.
• Moving arms and legs too much is seen as a natural response of the body when you are nervous or anxious. Playing with your hair or any other tic demonstrates anxiety on the other hand, being totally static is not the best option. "You are a product that has life," consultants say.

But calmly, for every problem there is a solution:

• Sitting on the back of the chair and leaning a little leaves the candidate automatically safer and relaxed, showing the selector a positive attitude with the moment, as you go in your direction.
• Resting your arms on the chair seat avoids making the described mistakes: "If the chair does not have support, just rest your hands on your legs - without crossing your arms, of course."
• Look into the interviewer's eyes and face him conveys confidence and empathy.
• Shaking your head in negative or agreement according to the situation demonstrates your feelings and shows that you are enthusiastic about the conversation.
• "It is imperative that when you greet the interviewer you give a firm, confident handshake. This will demonstrate that you felt confident in the interview. ", Says Caiado.

Pay attention to your tone of voice, so that when speaking, you are understood the way you want. You have to be careful to convey the image that you know what you're talking about, but not look arrogant.

Never stop learning about body language

As you may have realized, non-verbal communication is very important in a selection process, being a question with great influence on the interviewer's assessment. Your facial expressions confirm or deny what you say. On the other hand, body language should always be a point of attention for every candidate.

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