In a previous article in this series, I wrote about the nine guaranteed techniques to win in an interview (October 19). The tips were around the verbal aspects of communication, practicing, preparation and how to position yourself. As you may be aware, what you say and how you say it during an interview are all really important. But here’s the rub.
At an interview, you will most likely be facing an intelligent human being who is capable of reading a lot more about you than you think.
The other important point to consider is that human brains, remarkable as they are, have only a small part dedicated to processing verbal communication. In fact, about two thirds of the interviewer’s brainpower will be receiving and evaluating the non-verbal signals you are sending. In other words, the initial impression you build will be less of what you say and more about how you look and act. And the scary bit is, most experts claim that this impression is formed within the first four seconds.
Your body communicates 2/3rds of your message
No wonder, then, that body language is so important! It plays a huge part in all social interaction. In the business world, body language has been found to affect hiring decisions and promotions. But non-verbal communication conveyed through body language is particularly important in what psychologists call ‘stressful evaluative situations’, like an oral presentation or a job interview.
How do you optimise your body language at an interview?
For starters, your facial expression – your smile – is hugely important. This should be no surprise. After all, this is why we sprinkle our Facebook and text messages with so many smiley faces. We feel so insecure about the ability of our disembodied words to carry the right message that we instinctively reach for facial expression props. And I’m willing to bet my last dirham that in the past few days – or even hours – you’ve found yourself sending a smiley instead of words.
By the way, even the most generous bank of smiley faces is woefully inadequate when you consider that human beings can make and recognise about a quarter of a million different facial expressions. Which just goes to prove the importance of non-verbal communications.
Winning ways to handle an interview
Well, think of the animal world for a moment. This is a world without words, in which nevertheless, there are very clear body-based message systems indicating status and power. Likewise, among humans, body language is a powerful part of communications.
We have simple-to-recognise power positions, for example – positions that convey confidence, assertiveness, and optimism. You can easily imagine what they are:
An open stance says you’re so confident you don’t need to shield yourself.
Expanded limbs, arms stretched out means that you’re feeling powerful and larger than life.
Seated leaning back with elbows out and hands behind your head shows a relaxed attitude.
A direct attentive posture says, ‘I’m listening’.
Try hi-fiving yourself in the mirror and you’ll get a good idea of what the position for enthusiasm, energy and exuberance looks like.
Of course, the flip side is also true. A closed, protective stance, failure to meet the interviewer’s eyes, crossed arms are all signs of a lack of personal power and confidence.
At this point, you might be imagining yourself at that important job interview, trying to assume a power position. And you might be saying, ‘But honestly, I don’t feel powerful. I don’t feel confident.’ What to do? Well, the advice from a famous social scientist might surprise you: Fake it.
Fake it till you make it
According to Dr Amy Cuddy, an eminent American social scientist, the importance of faking it – of adopting power postures even when you don’t feel powerful – has an additional benefit. And it’s a benefit that’s almost shocking in its implications. Because your body language not only shapes others’ opinion of you, it also influences your own mind.
In a series of surprising experiments, Dr Cuddy and her co-workers demonstrated that people who had been asked to adopt power poses for two minutes just before an interview did significantly better than people who were asked to pose in powerless positions.
The scientific basis for this is nothing short of amazing. It seems that power poses induce the body to produce testosterone, the hormone responsible for feelings of power, which increases assertiveness, optimism and promotes risk taking. Not only that, power poses also help lower cortisol and decreased cortisol levels promote stress tolerance.
The practical implications are obvious. It would be great to replicate this experiment on yourself at the next important interview.
Take two minutes before the session – lock yourself in a washroom, if need be – and spend it in a power pose. Needless to say, continue to be aware of your body language as the interview begins. Smile, adopt an open, attentive stance and avoid crossing your arms, legs or wrapping your ankles. The resulting non-verbal messages are sure to contribute strongly to the favourable impression you want to make on the interviewer. Remember, this is true even if you’re faking it.
Become the person you are projecting to be
Keep in mind that Dr Cuddy’s investigations promise benefits that can not only affect the interviewer but also change how you feel about yourself. Her ultimate message is: Don’t just fake it till you make it; fake it till you become it.
So while power posing before the interview – and paying attention to body language during the interview – can pay immediate one-time benefits, repeated daily power posing can bring long-term positive results.
Pay attention to what your body is saying. Consistently making small adjustments in your stance, for example, can actually change not just your body but also your mind. It can improve your outlook, increase your confidence and enhance your stress tolerance. And just think what a difference that could make to your life.
At a fresh graduates’ interview training, we split the group into two. Group A was given a short training session on the nine techniques (the article mentioned previously) along with tips on optimising their body language. Group B was not provided with any training. Both groups were sent for interviews to employers across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Eight out of 10 students from Group A were given an offer letter whereas only two students from Group B received an offer.
The bottom line: make sure you equip yourself to tackle the interview before you step out the door.
(The writer is the founder and managing director of InternsMe www.internsme.com)
