Interview Tips – Top 5 Tips on ‘How to Win before you begin’!
Below we will look at non verbal interview tips to help you win over that interview panel!
Tip 1: Attitude & body language
The human mind is judgmental, it’s what it does. It is what kept us alive during evolution.We make judgments in split seconds:
- Is this person a threat?
- Is this person attractive?
- Is this person useful to my (social) survival?
Pay attention to this instinct, but never act on it without knowing the person better. The tricks below will trigger you to behave in ways that are perceived well.
This section is not strictly about body language, but these attitudes will subconsciously influence your body language.
Feel secure and project confidence
This one is so important it requires its own article, and you can never do this 100% of the time. Plus, there are certainly cases where not seeming confident can gain you likability points, but on average, the above holds true.
There are two things to consider with this point:
- Try to remove things that make you uncomfortable
- Train yourself to help you feel secure
Everyone is a friend, unless proven otherwise
Why burn bridges before you’ve made them in the first place? It makes no sense:
- You have everything to gain
- You have nothing to lose
You will notice soon enough if this person would/wants to be a good friend.
Everyone deserves respect, unless proven otherwise
Again, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose by treating people with respect. That doesn’t mean you should kiss boots all day; it means you shouldn’t dismiss anyone or make them feel unimportant.
Like everybody, until they don’t deserve it
Strangers deserve to have the benefit of the doubt. In our world anyone can be anything, without looking like it. I’ve met douchebags who looked kind and billionaires that behaved like excited children. Look at the cover of the book, but read a few pages before judging.
Neither the douchebag or billionaire are ‘better’ than each other. But being around one made me feel unhappy, and the other made me feel great!
Always think about what you can do for others
When you meet someone, don’t think ‘what can they do for me?’ but rather ‘what can I do for them?’ Helping people is the best way to make them want to help you, and everybody wins.
Note that I’m not saying you should give unsolicited advice to make yourself seem smart. Help people if you genuinely and truly believe this person’s life would be better with the knowledge/help/contact that you can offer.
Offer help, but don’t insist. Keep it short and let them decide.
Tip 2: Posture
Your body is constantly signalling the people you meet. Posture influences the snap second judgement people make about you, but also what you think about yourself. In addition, proper posture is good for your back, what’s not to like?
Stand up straight, but relaxed
To find positive posture, try the following:
- Stand with your feet as wide as your hips
- Make yourself as tall as possible, imagine being pulled up by the top of your head
- Now keep that feeling of being tall but relax your shoulders
- Relax your neck and angle your head so you don’t have to look up or down to look an average person in the eyes
Some tips:
- Relax as much as possible while maintaining your posture
- Don’t puff your chest, it should be flat as if you are lying on a floor
- Pull your shoulders back very slightly
Sit up straight, but not rigid.
When you start sitting up straight, you will notice how small most people make themselves. You will instantly feel quite tall when sitting at a table. Keep your back straight, but relax as much as possible.
Always have some tension in your core
Your abs, back and general core should never be flaccid/floppy when you stand or sit. Keep your abs and core in general under some tension. Not only does it reflect well upon your posture, but it also makes it easier to move with grace.
Position your feet at about hip width apart
The stance of your feet says a lot about you. It’s not an exact science, but putting your feet closer together generally signifies insecurity, whereas a wider stance indicates confidence.
Both holding your feet too close together and too far apart can reflect badly upon you. Try to aim for a position where your feet are at hip width or slightly wider apart, but not much.
Tip 3: Entering a Room
The moment you enter a room is the moment you expose yourself to the judgement of the people in that room. Make sure to make use of that.
Some would recommend more extreme techniques like peacocking, but that doesn’t apply to all situations.
Smile like you are happy to be there
Regardless of whether you are, smile when you enter a room. Smile like you really like what you are seeing. Don’t overdo it, don’t laugh out loud. Smile like you stepped outside and noticed the sun was shining.
Greet the crowd
Not explicitly. Don’t shout “HEY!” or draw explicit attention unless these are people who appreciate such behavior. Otherwise take a moment to stand still or walk slowly while looking at the people in the room.
- Make eye contact
Don’t glance over the crowd like it’s an object. Look people in the eye and if anyone holds your gaze smile at them. Make people feel like a positive influence just entered this room.
- Take your time
This shows confidence, but also signifies an open attitude.
Tip 4: the Handshake
Use a firm but gentle handshake
Men, especially, are sensitive to the way you shake a hand. A weak or ‘dead fish’ handshake will instantly lose you likability points.
- Don’t just ‘offer’ your hand, a handshake is teamwork
- Use the pressure you would use to grab the stick of a heavy pan
- If a person is offering you a ‘dead fish’ handshake, don’t squeeze too hard
Make eye contact as you shake hands
Looking away automatically signifies negative things:
- You don’t have attention/respect for the other person
- You have something to hide
Look into someone’s eyes long enough to memorize their eye color. Don’t stare, just observe for a moment.
Smile like they made your day
When looking into someone’s eyes during the shake, smile as if you saw something in their eyes that makes you happy.
Don’t laugh out loud, just smile.
Tip 5: Positioning
How and where you position yourself makes a difference in how you are perceived. Positioning combined with posture is very powerful.
Open your stance
When you are talking to someone, position your body in such a way that you are open to them. Preferably position yourself in a ‘vulnerable’ way. Don’t cover your chest with your arms, don’t slouch etc. This signifies trust and comfort.
Angle yourself towards the person you are speaking to
It is a subtle change, but making sure that your body is ‘pointing’ to your conversational partner makes a difference. Angling away can signify fearfulness, insecurity and mistrust.
Now your ready to tell them how great you are….
If you are feeling under pressure or lack confidence in interview situations, fear not we are here to help.
The team at Graffiti Recruitment want to make sure that you feel confident and comfortable meeting your new potential colleagues. We want you to really shine and put your best foot forward. We wouldn’t want a ‘should of, would have, could have situation going on’.
We can arrange to go through a mock situational interview with you so you can practise your answers and give you hints and tips on building your connection with the panel. Just get in touch we would love to help,
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