Body Language Interview Preparation Guide

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Haptics is a subcategory of Body Language, is the study of touching and how it is used in communication. As such, handshakes, holding hands, kissing, back slapping, high fives, brushing up against someone or pats all have meaning.

Oculesics is a subcategory of body language, the study of eye movement, eye behavior, gaze, and eye-related nonverbal communication. As a social or behavioral science, oculesics is a form of nonverbal communication focusing on deriving meaning from eye behavior.

Gestures are movements made with body parts (e.g. hands, arms, fingers, head, legs) and they may be voluntary or involuntary. Arm gestures can be interpreted in several ways.

Body language refers to various forms of nonverbal communication, wherein a person may reveal clues as to some unspoken intention or feeling through their physical behavior. These behaviors include (but are not limited to) facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use of space. Body language exists in both animals and humans, but this article focuses on interpretations of human body language. It is also known as kinesics.

By understanding body language you can avoid potentially embarrassing situations. Speaking is a risky business in dating and also in life in general. This is especially true when one does not know what emotional ground others stand on. Body language can also outline where one is in a relationship such as what level of attraction, or rejection is present at any one time. It eliminates all the guess work when it comes to people - all people. The research makes it easy to determine the underlying, hidden motives which drive a person's subconscious. A student of body Language will know when it's a waste of time to further a pursuit with a man or woman and when it's time to hang in for the long haul, when it's time to close a deal, or when it's time to jump ship as a confrontation is brewing. Body language is the most useful skill in determining the real thoughts and emotions of a person!

While some differences occur across cultures and situations, those differences are minuscule. Cultural differences do not related to basic emotions such as fear, love, and intimacy which are essentially true to all people. One unit of body language or cue, in and of itself, is not an accurate indication of the full picture. Body language is additive and multiple cues come together to paint the full picture. One must understand all the body positions to have a clear picture of what a person is thinking and feeling subconsciously.

The Body Language Project is the culmination of more than a decade of study on body language. Namely, it currently encompasses an ebook on dating Body Language Project: Dating, Attraction and Sexual Body Language, a 450+ word dictionary and (coming soon) a gigantic ebook on body language covering every aspect of body language for all facets of life; from business, to personal life. BLP is ever expanding to be the foremost source of body language on the web.

Watch for these interview body language signals from your interviewer to read the message they are sending you.
Body language cues that can indicate boredom include resting head on hand, fiddling with hands and losing eye contact. If this happens wrap up what you are saying and move on by asking the interviewer a question such as:
"Is there anything else you would like to know about that topic?"
Drumming fingers and rubbing the face can indicate irritation. Clarify that you are answering the question with the information they want and not frustrating them with an off-the-point response.

Speaking in a clear and controlled voice conveys confidence.
Avoid speaking in a monotone by varying your tone and pitch, however don't overdo it and come across as overly excited or emotional.
Breathe and pause before answering a question, this gives you time to react in a considered way and it ensures that the interviewer has finished the question.

If you are unsure of what to do with your hands, rest them, loosely clasped in your lap or on the table in front of you.
Control your hands by being aware of what you are doing with them.

► Keep your legs straight out in front of you. Do not cross them.
► Keep your arms on the table in front of you. Gently interlock fingers.
► Lean just slightly forward to look less stiff.
► Copy your interviewer's posture when in doubt.
► Legs Slightly Apart/Together.
► Lean Slightly Forward.
► Hands in Front.
► Copy Your Interviewer.

Body language can communicate more about your personality than your answers to job interview questions. Negative body language is fairly obvious.
► Don't roll your eyes.
► Don't slouch or look bored.
► Don't sit there shaking uncontrollably.

Drink some water (bring a bottle with you) before you go into the interview room so your mouth isn't too parched. It's hard to speak confidently, or speak at all, when your mouth is as dry as the Atacama Desert.

Deep breathing will help you relax and prevent you from appearing breathless and nervous. Try to breathe deep into your diaphragm instead of just shallowly into your chest. You'll be surprised by how much this will help to calm and ground you.

Interviews are a serious business, but that's no reason not to smile. Smiling will show that you're relaxed and confident, as well as generally pleasant. No one wants to work with a dour sourpuss.

Keep in mind that there's a difference between a forced smile and a natural one, so as much as you can, try to relax and smile as naturally as possible. A natural smile involves all your facial muscles, including your eyes, while a forced one will move your mouth but leave your eyes unmoved. Either that or you've overdone it with the bot-ox.

No matter how nervous you may be feeling, try not to fidget in your chair or with your hands. It's highly distracting and will make you look not only nervous, but possibly cagey. Don't touch your hair, face, neck or mouth, or play with your jewelry, cuff-links or handbag. Maintaining an air of relaxed calmness will give the most favorable impression.

Maintain an open but professional stance and sitting position. Don't sit on the edge of your chair but instead sit up straight, leaning slightly forward and with your hands relaxed in front of you. Cross your legs at the ankles or keep both feet on the floor (crossing your legs may come across as too casual). Also be sure not to cross your arms, as that will make you appear closed and defensive.

The ability to maintain eye contact is another indicator of confidence, honesty and openness. Staring at the floor or ceiling will make you appear lacking in confidence, distracted and like you're not listening - or perhaps like you don't even care. Also be aware of too many sidelong glances, which can make you look shifty. Astute observers of body language can apparently detect liars from their eye movements (such as looking up and to the right), as well as other body language giveaways.
Eye contact can be maintained for up to 10 seconds, but it's important not to stare too intently - that will just creep your interviewer out.

We've all heard about the importance of a firm handshake, and this oft-repeated advice still holds true. There's something decidedly unimpressive, if not distinctly creepy, about the dead fish handshake; just don't try to overcompensate with a bone-crushing handshake that will make your interviewer wince in pain.

Nothing contributes more to an impression of confidence than good posture - so make a conscious effort to walk with your head high and shoulders back, and sit with a straight back (while remaining relaxed and natural). You don't want to skulk into an interview with stooped shoulders and your head down, then slouch down in your chair - you might as well be wearing a sign saying, 'I don't deserve this job.

Adult body language causes the most concern because the gestures are much smaller, delicate and quicker. They are more refined and they look polite. Most of the gestures seem part of everyday life. To be able to read them accurately and consistently takes some practice.

Teenagers quickly become aware that it requires some stealth in order to do the things that grown-ups do and get away with them. However, they soon discover that they are not having as much success as they would like, because adults can tell if they are concealing something. So teenagers then swiftly adopt diversion tactics to avoid being put on the spot.

If only were we were all as easy to read as children are. They express their feelings in a very open and obvious way. They don't hold anything back which means their gestures are bigger, more expressive and are therefore easier to read.

When it comes to social interaction, one of the most important aspects is a pleasant air about oneself. People should feel that you are a pleasant personality who is accessible to the right people at the right time. However, at the same time, the interviewer should not feel that you are immature or easy go lucky with your attitude towards life.

Where ever you are assigned to wait before your interviewer arrives, make sure that you are always calm and collected. You should not be in any private area of the room; clearly you may spend the time reading plaques and diplomas or periodicals. Clearly, the door could open at any unexpected moment, but it is also possible that you are under observation unbeknownst to you.