The Unspoken Interview Killers

A career filled with achievements is essential for your next promotion or new job opportunity.  So is a good resume documenting those achievements.  If you happen to be chosen for an interview, preparation is the key.

Imagine you have done everything right.  Your career is filled with the right experience, and you excelled in all the critical areas.  You worked hours to document this experience and achievements with a killer resume.  You planned out every question that could be asked and practiced your responses over and over.

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You walk into the interview with confidence, but within minutes, you throw all your hard work away because of a few easily avoidable mistakes made with your body language and non-verbal communication.

I know.  It is hard to imagine that your non-verbal communication is that important, but it is true.

Good candidates walk into interviews every day, and within minutes, they sabotage the very job opportunity for which they have prepared.

Survey

According to a recent Harris Poll of 1,014 hiring managers, your body language mistakes can make significant negative impressions and ultimately affect hiring decisions.

Follow these simple tips to prevent your non-verbal communication from costing you your next job or promotion.

Dress Appropriately

There is no excuse for messing this one up.  If you are interviewing for an internal promotion, a uniform may be optional.  However, you do not want to be the only one who wears a uniform if everyone else is in business attire.  Check this one carefully before you commit.

If you are a candidate for police chief, wear a suit and tie if you are male and business attire if you are female.  If for some reason you do not have the proper clothes to wear, buy the clothes you need.  The interview is too important and how you dress for the interview is too critical to ignore.

It goes without saying that your clothes should be clean, neat and pressed.  Ok, I guess I just said it….

Practice Proper Hygiene

What?  I shouldn’t have to say this, but it is too important to ignore.

Washed your hair and comb it neatly.  I recommend getting a haircut a few days before the interview.  Take a bath, shave if you are a male, use deodorant and above all make sure you brush your teeth.  Nothing is more of a turnoff then bad breath.

Give Firm Handshake

A good, firm handshake is important.  When you shake the hand of the person or persons interviewing you, make sure you look them directly in the eye and smile.  Don’t slip them a sweaty palm and soft grip.  Instead, make your handshake firm and with conviction.

Don’t overdo it though!  Shaking hands is not a strongest grip contest.

If for some reason, the person interviewing you does not extend his or her hand, just initiate the handshake yourself.  This simple gesture will demonstrate your openness and willingness to engage.

Make Eye Contact

I mentioned this one when describing your handshake.  It is equally important to continue making eye contact throughout the interview process.  When you are asked a question, make direct eye contact with the person asking the question.   When you respond, make eye contact with the questioner.  If multiple people are doing the interviewing, make eye contact with the person who asked the question first and shift your eye contact from person to person finish your answer with the person who asked the question.

Let me be clear; I am not talking about staring at anyone.  Don’t do that or make them feel like you are staring.

I am also not talking about shifting your eye contact every five seconds.

Poor eye contact signals insecurity or a lack of confidence.  Neither one of these is good.  You might also be perceived as being dishonest if you have poor eye contact.

Smile

A smile is so simple but sometimes so hard to do during stressful situations.  A sincere smile makes a huge difference in how you are perceived.

A smile tells the interviewer you are happy to be there, you are engaged and you are confident.

Even rookie interviewers can spot a fake smile.  The chances are those interviewing you are not rookies, so get rid of the fake smile.

Use Good Posture

The way you carry yourself can affect how you are perceived.  Walk into the meeting confidently, with a straight back, and you will appear confident.

Don’t slump.

When you sit down, make sure you keep your back straight as well.

Don’t Fidget

It is only natural to be nervous when being interviewed.  Unfortunately, that nervousness can turn into a big problem for you if you begin to fidget.

Avoid it like the plague!

Don’t tap your finger on the table or play with your jewelry.  Also, don’t touch your face or hair.  Avoid pulling at your clothes or adjusting your tie.  All of these gestures can be distracting during your interview.  They are also a visible sign of the degree of your nervousness, which sends a wrong message.

I was part of an interview panel of police chief candidates a couple of years ago.  One candidate constantly rubbed his forefinger against his thumb while he was being interviewed.  The candidate didn’t even realize it.

Unfortunately, it was noticed by the entire panel.

Actively Listen

When one of your interviewers is speaking, nod your head at the appropriate time to communicate you are listening and understanding what they are saying.

Don’t overdo it.  You don’t want to be a bobblehead.

Instead, periodically nod your head as others are speaking.  This action should come naturally and work together with a smile.

Don’t Touch Your Phone

Before you begin your interview, silence your phone or better yet, turn it completely off.  Once you do that, you need to take it a step further.  Never lay your phone down on the table or leave it visible during the interview.

That would be incredibly disrespectful.

You would also be tempted to look at your phone during the interview, especially if it vibrates.  One study determined that millennials look at their cell phone 150 times a day.  You may not be a millennial, but you probably glance at your phone repeatedly throughout the day.

I know I do.

Avoid this issue altogether by turning your cell phone off and putting it away.

Don’t Invade Personal Space

When shaking hands and meeting individuals, maintain an appropriate space between you and the other person.

On Seinfeld, they classify someone that gets too close as a Close Talker.

Don’t be a close talker.

Conclusion

A simple mistake in body language can undermine your chances for promotion or getting an appointment for the police chief job you have always wanted.  As important as your answers to the questions are, your non-verbal communication can be the difference maker.

Unfortunately, your interviewers may not even realize how your non-verbal communication affected their decision.

As important as it is to prepare what you are going to say during your interview, it is equally important to carefully craft your non-verbal response as well.

Pay attention to your verbal and non-verbal responses, and you will set yourself up for success.

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