Is Your Body Language Helping Or Hurting You in the Interview?

By Erin Kennedy

Have you ever looked at your friend and known exactly what they were thinking, without them saying a word? Their face and body language spoke a thousand words. What you say during your executive job interview, obviously plays a huge role in determining whether you get the job. In the same way, your body language is communicating, as well. You've worked hard to optimize your LinkedIn profile to get noticed and, eventually land an interview, so learning some body language tips will help you succeed once you get there. Here are some of the top executive interview tips people don't think about, but should.

Trust is Communicated Through Eye Contact

Eye contact is crucial. It establishes trust. Always make eye contact with your interviewer. People who don't make good eye contact might have something they're hiding. Of course, try to avoid staring as much as possible, so looking away occasionally will reduce some awkwardness.

Show Confidence With a Firm Handshake

When meeting your interviewer, give them a strong handshake. This shows them you are confident, even if you don't feel it inside. Practice with peers or family members if you have to. A good handshake is memorable to an interviewer, since it's likely the first in-person impression they have of you.

Good Posture is Important

Your mother was right. Posture is important. No interviewer wants to see a slouch in the chair across from them. Slouching or posture other than sitting up straight shows you may not be too interested in the job. Even worse, slumping in your chair may indicate a lack of confidence, no matter how strong your executive profile is.

Try to be Natural

It's normal to be nervous when thinking about the interview. Being prepared helps reduce this nervousness. But too many people spend way too much time studying interview questions and rehearsing their answers. While this is good to an extent, studying too hard can make you sound unnatural. If you used an executive resume writer to polish up and make your resume sound natural, translate some of their tips for your interview. Things like nodding and smiling are natural gestures, so don't hold them back. The hard part is noticing the gestures you make as a nervous habit, so be careful not to use them to the point where they become unnatural.

Professional Resume Services does much more than simply write resumes. We can help you by giving advice on how to land interviews, what to do in interviews, and even how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, just to name a few. Be sure to reach out to us if you need any assistance with any aspect of your executive job search.

Erin Kennedy, CPRW, CERW, BS/HR, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services http://exclusive-executive-resumes.com. She is a nationally published writer and contributor of 8 best-selling career books and has achieved international recognition following yearly nominations of the prestigious T.O.R.I. Award.