Are You Fluent in Body Language?

"Well, actually … um, are you sure you want me to answer that question? Because you may not like what I have to say."

"No, really. What does my body language tell you about me?"

We were sitting on a park bench in the middle of the city. "We" refers to my significant other and myself. She also happens to be the manager of a sales support team for a large corporation, and has a number of years of hiring experience. She had agreed to meet me for lunch and tell me about the role that body language plays in interviews. It was noon, the sun was shining, and the pigeons were gathering.

"You hunch your back, and you also tend to look away from people when you talk to them. It happens all the time when you've just met someone at a party."

"OK," I said, watching the other benches fill up with office workers from the surrounding buildings. An old man across the park seemed to be having a rather intense conversation with a seagull.

"Now, if that happened in a job interview, I'd draw a couple of conclusions. First of all, it would tell me that you lack confidence and/or you're very shy. It might also suggest that you're aloof, and that's not a positive trait, at least – not for the type of hiring that I do."

"Really."

"Yes. I hire for the sales team, usually, and look for candidates who are confident in their abilities, and who'll be able to convey that confidence to potential clients. So, good posture is important, and so, too, is eye contact. By the way, you also tend to touch your nose or scratch your ear when you're talking to strangers."

"I do?"

"Yes, you do. And that just reinforces the whole confidence issue thing. Some people might also read it as a sign that you're not being completely honest with them."

"Hmm …"

"There are other things that I look for. Candidates who go over their notes before we meet are saying to me that they're not yet fully prepared for the interview. I also expect them to come into my office, when I ask for them – which is to say, I don't expect them to knock or whisper "can I come in now?" after they've already been told to do so. That also tells me that they're not that confident about themselves. Obviously a firm handshake is important, but not too firm."

"Of course."

"You see – a job interview is an odd thing. It doesn't represent a typical work situation, and therefore it's not really a good indicator of how someone is going to perform on the job. So I'm more inclined to look at how someone presents him or herself, rather than review their background, which I'm already familiar with. I look at everything, from the way the candidates position and move their body, to their facial expressions, the quality and intonation of their voice, and the volume and speed of their speech. And by the way, it's also a two-way street, you know, interviewing."

"How so?"

"I'm usually just as nervous as the candidates that I interview. Which only makes sense, because at the end of the day, I'm responsible for the hire. And if I noticed that a candidate is getting uncomfortable and not responding well to my questions, I'll adjust my style to try and make them more comfortable. Oh yeah, something else that once made me really nervous, was when I caught someone 'mirroring' me."

"What's that?"

"It's when a candidate copies an interviewer's body language in order to try and win them over. Some career advisers suggest learning how to do this but, to be honest, it sort of creeped me out."

"I see." Now came the tough question. "So, if you were to interview me, how much of a role would my own body language play in your decision to hire me, or not?"

My significant other sighed and smiled, pushed her sunglasses up onto her hair, and then gave me a somewhat pained look. "I … probably wouldn't hire you. And, again, that's only because I typically hire for the sales team, and I don't think that you'd be good fit – at least, not on the basis of your body language. But you're a great dancer."

"Thanks. Can I buy you an ice cream?"

"Sure."

We sauntered over to the ice cream truck. Around us, people were stretching themselves out or loosening their ties, hoping to make the most of the remainder of their lunch break in the sun. And across the park, the erudite seagull had finally given up trying to explain the finer points of exchange rate policy and Gross Domestic Product to the old man.

Body Language Tips When it comes to body language and interviewing, keep in mind the following: • Have a firm handshake, but not too firm. • Good posture is important – never slouch. • Maintain eye contact with your interviewer(s). • Use a natural tone of voice. Watch your intonation and volume. • Never speak too quickly. • Be sensitive to your interviewer's body language, but beware of mirroring.

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