THE IMPORTANCE OF BODY LANGUAGE DURING AN ONLINE INTERVIEW
Body language is a very important factor when it comes to interviews.
Even in times of Covid, where most of the interviews are taking part online, body language still is very important. Therefore, I want to explain to you, how to use it to be successful in interviews.
Body language is the nonverbal way we communicate with others, and your body language during a video interview can convey your internal feelings.
If you bear the following tips in mind, you are on the safe side for your next interview:
Eye contact: Even though you are having an online interview, it is always important to maintain eye contact with your interviewer. Look directly into the camera, rather than your screen. Just think about it the same way as a face-to faceinterview, if you maintain eye contact, you will be able to build a better connection to your interviewerand alsoshow them that you are attentive.
Sit straight-up: It is really important, that you are having a good posture during an interview, to show that you are attentive and interested. If you are lounging on the couch or even on your chair, this will leave the impression of you not being really focused and not taking the interview seriously.
Leanin, but be careful with it: If the hiring manager is talking to you, please lean in and remain eye-contact by looking straight into the camera. Please do not lean in too far, as the interviewer then will only see your forehead or eyes.
Do not gesture too much: Many people tend to gesture as they speak to animate their stories or to get their point across.Of course you are allowed to gesture while speaking, but try to keep it to a minimum, as it otherwise can come across as insecurity or nervousness.
Don’tcross your arms or legs: Even though your legs cannot be seen during an interview it is important to sit straight, without crossing your arms or legs to convey a connection to the interviewer and give them the feeling to be open and attentive.
Nod if necessary:Of course you do not want to interrupt the interviewer whilst speaking. To show them that you are listening, you can nod in certain situations, to show the interviewer that you got the point, as this is way more polite than interrupting an interviewer constantly, just to show him that you are listening.
Smile genuinely: It is always important to show a genuine smile to the interviewer, as this is making you look more friendly and approachable. But do not force yourself to smile, as this could come across as fake. So be sure to smile during an interview, but only if it feels right. It is proved, that while smiling while speaking also makes you sound friendlier. And if your interviewer says something funny, smile and laugh, but again, be careful and only do it when it feels right for you, as you do not want to come across as fake.
If you bear all these tips in mind, you are perfectly prepared for your next online interview. Do you need more tips ? Please feel free to reach out to us, as we are all experts when it comes to interviews.
