Why is body language important?
“ Your body language shows what kind of a person you are.” - Antony Alex
Body language is very important when it comes to online interviews or it is better if we say interviews in particular. Body language defines the way we are, how confident we are as individuals. Perfect body language is the key to a perfect interview. Research says around 68 percent of aspiring job candidates fail to make eye contact with the interviewer.
Failing to maintain eye contact with the interviewer proves that the candidate is not really confident about what she is saying or the candidate is way too much more nervous than she should have been. These things contribute to a small negative impression that the interviewer might have about the person.
We often say that smiling is the key. A smile can make all the difference but figures say that almost 38 percent of the people fail to pass a confident smile after entering the interview link. A smile defines that you are humble and confident at the same time. If a person’s mind does not stay in one position for longer periods of time, chances are there that the person might end up playing with things kept on the table. Is that a good sign? Obviously not.
Research says that almost 36 percent of job interview candidates make this mistake and most of the time they don’t even realise it! This act is similar to fidgeting too much with the seat they are seated on. Yes, many people tend to revolve the revolving chair if they are seated on one or might recline themselves on their seat , which does not have a positive impact on the interviewer. Results from a study said that 32 percent of people do it!
Talking about body language , we should definitely know that a person should have the correct body posture while sitting for the interview. Sitting well up helps makes you look decent and well behaved on screen. Slouching is not the way. Around 31 percent of people had wrong body posture when they appeared for the interview! A correct body posture also matters when it comes to interviews. Answering questions correctly is not enough.
Another 31 percent of people, sat with arms crossed over their chest, which is a very casual way of sitting and not professional at all. Coming to hand gestures, one has to take care of that as well. A person never knows, a thing which is casual for you, might not be casual for the interviewer. Therefore, using measured hand gestures is the key.
It is seen that almost 13 percent of people used too many hand gestures which is definitely not a professional gesture. 26 percent of people tend to play with their hair touching their face and keep on repeating the process which is very disturbing for the interviewer. Playing with hairs or touching one’s face is not the professional gesture expected in an interview.
Therefore, having a proper body language definitely matters when it comes to online interviews. You show what you are. They don’t know you. The panel will see your behaviour in the whole running time of the interview. Pro Tip - even if you try to pretend something, do it with ease such that the interviewer does not get to know about it.
Tips to maintain a perfect body language during online interview-
Make eye contacts on camera - Maintaining eye contact with the interviewees means that you are sure about whatever you say. This is the most ideal approach to show you're really focusing and drawing in with the circumstance. Obviously this doesn't mean gaze vacantly at your questioner, this means a confident natural look you have while having a conversation with someone. Make sure not to look away from the webcam.
Avoid Slouching - avoid sitting in a slouching position and make sure to sit straight. Sitting straight gives a very positive impression plus you tend to look much more presentable. Sitting slouched forward, or relaxing with arms and legs wherever looks excessively loose. You would prefer not to stay there firmly grasping your clench hands in your lap. The easiest way to get to the point is sitting straight and avoid bending your back. Sitting up straight and leaning a bit in front of the screen when a question is asked shows that you are engaged in a conversation.
Use correct hand gestures - using too much hand gestures is obviously not good but using correct hand gestures is suggested. It is definitely not suggested to sit straight without any movements just like a freezed statue. Using subtle hand movements is suggested. One can also touch their fingertips together in a decent way while making a point in front of the interviewers. Avoid making fist, waving hands or biting nails in front of the interview panel. All three are signs of nervousness. Don’t strike your hands against the screen too much. Make sure to maintain distance.
Avoid touching your face - Touching your own face or playing with your own hairs is definitely not suggested. It is expected that while the process of the interview is going on, one should not get distracted by anything and just focus on the interview and the questions asked. To avoid this situation, it is advised to have a sleek hairstyle with hair combed back in a ponytail or a top bun updo. This way the candidate would not get distracted playing with hairs. If we talk about gestures like touching one’s forehead, nose or cheeks in regular intervals , it is suggested not to do that. Touching one’s face is also a sign of nervousness. If at all you need to touch your face , do it decently and not out of habit.
Pass a smile - most importantly pass a smile whenever you meet them over video call. Online interviews have an absence of physical gestures, therefore a smile eases out the situation. This gives out a very positive vibe from your side! Smile also gives out good vibes. Anybody who is open to conversation, with a cheerful nature is accepted by all. Therefore a smile can really change their perception about you! Yes, react to whatever the interviewer says. Also, if the interviewer laughs at a casual thing and it is also shared with you , then you can laugh with the panel to show that you are attentive and participating in the conversation.
“You can tell a lot by a person’s body language” - Harvey Wolter
The above quote clearly defines the need for perfect body language and what it means. Therefore, just answering questions on video conferencing correctly would not help the situation. One has to maintain a positive mindset and a proper body language to put up a good impression in front of the interview panel. A good impression helps gain good chances of getting hired for the position you desire and the position you deserve. Body language shows how the person actually is. A slouching posture is a sign that the candidate is either careless or not confident about the interview. It can also be taken as a sign of unprofessionalism. Therefore, maintaining a good posture is always the key to impressing the interviewers. What you say obviously matters but what you do or how you behave in front of the interview panel also matters a lot! It is very important to avoid the above mentioned mistakes to increase the chances of getting hired. Any mistake would cost your dream job!
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