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Body Language and the Art of the Interview by Lorne Epstein  October 1, 2009

Although people are generally not aware of it, they send and receive non-verbal cues all the time. These can indicate what they are truly feeling.

We have all read articles describing how people communicate with body language. Intuitively we understand what body language means but still fail to master it in our daily lives and, most importantly, when we go on a job interview.

Interviewing has been a part of my livelihood as a recruiter for the past 12 years. I have interviewed thousands of professionals and noticed that interviewees are always communicating with their body language. I have made it part of my job to study this form of communication and share what I have learned.

The words you speak amount to only seven percent of your communication, so what is it that we are doing that accounts for the remaining 93 percent? Your voice and intonation comprises thirty eight percent. For example, someone speaking with a tone that is uneven could be lying. Someone who projects a powerful voice with clear enunciation could very well be perceived as confident, trustworthy, and strong. These are broad generalizations, but ones that are worthy of examination.

A majority of your communication – 55 percent — is contained in body language. These numbers clearly indicate that how others perceive your body language has a greater influence on the outcome of your interview than the words that you speak. Your voice and tone are also important, but we won’t cover that in this article.

An easy way of thinking of body language is to imagine it as the music to the words that are spoken. When your music matches your words, your words are perceived as authentic and you have the best chance of getting the job you are seeking.

Body language is always present and informs the interviewer when the candidate is being genuine, nervous, inauthentic, or any other emotion or way of being. “Way of being” is a term that goes beyond a description of emotional state to include a vast and infinite set of experiences that others perceive in you in the moment. Perceiving someone’s “way of being” allows people to perceive you as authentic, passionate, reliable, funny, professional, trustworthy, and more.

This form of communicating is usually understood by the job interviewer. The interviewer uses body language as one of the various tools to inform their decision on whether they hire or don’t hire a candidate. Although we are not always aware of it, people receive and send non-verbal signals all the time. And these signals or vibes that the listener is experiencing reveals the speaker’s true feelings.

As an interviewer, I listen to what the candidates say with their words and body language to form a composite image of who they are and what they can contribute to the organization.

It is the best method to learn about specific information I want the candidate to reveal about their professional experience. I am there to learn what this candidate has to offer my company and see if they are the right fit for the job. Sometimes what a candidate says does not sound true. Body language makes it more difficult for the speaker to conceal the truth, and a good interviewer listens to what is being said and watches body language at the same time to see if they match.

Other forms of body language are contained in your appearance (hair, nails, attire, and general grooming), posture, breathing, and movement. If these are not also in alignment with what you are saying, you diminish your chances of landing that job.

The technique of ‘reading’ people is used frequently. For example, the idea of mirroring body language to put people at ease is commonly used in interviews. It sets the person being interviewed at ease.

In an interview, a simple technique to getting the job offer is to use your body language to “mirror” that of your interviewers. You are appealing to the interviewer’s unconscious mind when you mirror their body language. Humans are attracted to those like themselves, consciously and unconsciously.

Mirroring is performed by holding the same or similar body pose as the person across from you. If they are sitting up, then you sit up. If their legs are slightly apart, then your legs are slightly apart. Their brain will unconsciously make them feel better about you when you mirror. Moving your body slowly to match theirs makes it feel more natural for you, and your interviewer will feel better about being with you. Mirroring takes practice to perfect and is a skill that will pay off in many areas of your life.

To get the greatest value, listen to what others are hearing your body language say. To set up this feedback loop you can video tape yourself speaking. Speak to someone about something your interested in so you are not focused on the camera. Review the video with a friend and have them take notes on the feelings they are experiencing when they listen and see you speak.

Practice your interviewing skills with a friend (an interview buddy) and ask them to pay attention to your body language. Since they are on the other side of the table, they have the best opportunity to read it.

From your interview buddy, get clear and specific feedback as to what your body language is saying. When you get the feedback, trust it and take actions to have your body language match your intended communication. Interviewing well takes practice, and you can teach your body to speak the language of getting hired.

Lorne Epstein, author of “You’re Hired! Interview skills to get the job” has been interviewing and hiring professionals for over 13 years. His company Arlington Soho built InSide Job, a Facebook application for business professionals.