Tired of Being Timid? How Negative Body Language Ruins Your Interview & Solutions For Success

Negative body language can be detrimental to your interview success. Family, friends, and institutions coach some people to use positive language from a young age. We naturally observe and imitate body language from the people around us.?

Negative body language habits may develop when positive body language influences do not surround you.?

Applied in a business setting, such as an interview, negative body language can have a detrimental impact on your success. Companies hire people for the qualities they bring.

Yes, you need the foundational skills to meet the minimum requirements for the role. However, decisions are made at the margin . You could be a solid second place, beaten by someone with more positive body language.?

The below negative body language displays that can make a wrong impression in an interview:

1. Poor Posture?
2. Avoiding Eye Contact?
3. Fidgeting?
4. Time Checking?
5. Sluggish Movements
6. Lack Of Engagement

Scroll to the bottom for the article for our key takeaways ?????

1) Poor Posture?

Poor posture can be a result of many different reasons. In some cases, you might have a medical condition affecting your sitting. In this case, you should inform interviewers of any such reasons.?

When there are no factors that force you to have a poor posture, and your posture is poor, it can lead to negative perceptions when you interview.?

Low confidence and unprofessionalism are the prime assumptions from poor posture. Hunched over shoulders and slouching can come across as someone unsure of themselves or uncomfortable.?

Particularly in people-facing roles, you need to carry yourself positively. Ensure that you consciously keep your back straight when walking or sitting down. Keep your shoulders from rolling forward and your shoulder blades tucked close.?

Avoiding Eye Contact?

Building relationships with people depends heavily on non-verbal cues , particularly eye contact. When you’re interviewing, you are there to pitch your skills and establish memorable relations.?

If you avoid making suitable eye contact, it is a missed opportunity. Glaring at your interviewers or holding eye contact for too long is not the move. However, ensuring you maintain a gaze confidently will establish a strong relationship.?

Avoiding eye contact is also associated with low confidence. If you’re there to make an impression, be remembered for what you did rather than what you didn’t do.?

“Listen to the eyes; they have much to say.”

Fidgeting?

In an interview setting, you should keep fidgeting to a minimum. Fidgeting is a common practice for someone nervous or uncomfortable . As natural as it is to be anxious for an interview, you can actively prepare before interviews to prevent nervousness.?

Firstly, thorough preparation is crucial to calming the interview nerves and preventing fidgeting. Having the arrogance to “just wing it” and not preparing until it is too late is guaranteed to cause nerves. When you prepare to the best extent, it is one less reason to be nervous, as you can only do so much before the interview.

Always have questions prepared

In addition to preparation, conducting mock interviews with someone with corporate experience is always helpful. Just ensure that you are both able to take it seriously!

Arriving early to interviews allows you time to calm down and compose yourself. During the interview, slow down your speech, focus on the conversation and accept that the interview will not go perfectly, but you’re as ready as possible.?

Time Checking?

Do you have somewhere else to be? Is your mind elsewhere??

Appearing to check the time in an interview is a definitive bad body language sign. It may be a good sign if your interview takes longer than anticipated. A potential employer won’t waste time on a candidate that shows no promise.

You’re telling the interviewer by checking the time mid-interview that you either have a nervous habit, are curious about the duration of the interview, or are prompting it to finish.?

There is only one solution here other than not checking the time of the interview! Focus on the task at hand.?

Sluggish Movements?

Do not combat sluggish movements by having three coffees and standing up for the entire interview, wildly flailing your arms to make grand gestures.

If your body language is sluggish and negative, you will convey a lack of enthusiasm and energy. On interview day, aim to be your best self. If you appear tired and disinterested, that is the best impression the interviewers will have of you.?

Relating to preparing your pre-interview preparation, ensure you’re rested and energised before you go in. There should be some adrenaline rush, but get stuck into the interview and be enthusiastic.

Get your 8 hours of sleep , put a good playlist on beforehand and have some pep in your step!

Lack Of Engagement

When the pressure is on in an interview, you can become both tired from that pressure and tense from the focus. Tiredness and tension lead to showing a lack of engagement through negative body language.

When nearing the end of an interview and you’re fatigued, it is natural for your mind to wander. Discipline will be your friend here. Keep your eye contact strong and pay attention to the conversation.?

Tension is another factor that can lead to body language becoming negative. Pressure from within and from the interview leads to a fight-or-flight response. As you cannot fight, your mind wants flight, which can avert your engagement from the interview.

Ironically, you have to fight your flight response. When you’re tense and feeling the pressure, get the basics right. Nod and acknowledge when people are in the middle of talking. Mirror some responses to show that you’re processing the conversation.?

Conclusion

Although it may not come naturally, positive body language is essential for interview success.

Chat with one of our consultants if you want to have some more consultancy for interviews: https://bit.ly/3ujNnYw

Key Takeaways:

Negative Body Language Impact: Negative body language can significantly hinder your success in interviews. It's crucial to be mindful of non-verbal cues as they play a pivotal role in shaping perceptions.

Early Learning and Imitation: Positive language habits are often instilled from a young age, while negative body language may develop without positive influences. Observation and imitation of positive body language are crucial for professional success.

Business Setting Significance: Negative body language can overshadow your skills in a business setting, especially during interviews. Companies look for qualities beyond just qualifications, and positive body language can be decisive.

Negative Body Language Displays: Several negative body language habits can make a wrong impression in interviews, including poor posture, avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, time checking, sluggish movements, and lack of engagement.

Addressing Poor Posture: Poor posture can convey low confidence and unprofessionalism. Maintaining a positive body image, especially in customer-facing roles, is essential. Inform interviewers if there are medical reasons for poor posture.

Importance of Eye Contact: Building relationships relies heavily on non-verbal cues, with eye contact being a crucial element. Avoiding eye contact may indicate low confidence; maintaining a confident gaze establishes a strong connection.

Minimizing Fidgeting: Fidgeting is a sign of nervousness or discomfort. Thorough preparation, mock interviews, arriving early, and consciously slowing down can help minimize fidgeting and nervous habits.

Time Checking Pitfalls: Checking the time during an interview sends negative signals, suggesting impatience or distraction. Focusing on the interview task and avoiding time checks is crucial to making a positive impression.

Energizing Movements: Sluggish movements convey a lack of enthusiasm. Consciously increasing energy levels by 20-30%, being well-rested, and projecting enthusiasm are essential for a positive interview impression.

Combatting Lack of Engagement: Pressure and fatigue may lead to a lack of engagement. Maintaining firm eye contact, active listening, and mirroring responses help counteract tiredness and tension, demonstrating ongoing interest and involvement.