BODY
LANGUAGE FOR AN ONLINE INTERVIEW
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.
Final
words -
“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!
REFERENCES -
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https://www.totaljobs.com/advice/interview-body-language