Body Language during the Interview is something Candidates tend to over look. Body language is an integral part of any interview and it can make or break initial impression that the panel forms about the candidate. This can be controlled if the candidate is well aware of the factors he/she needs to look into as far as body language is concerned and avoid unconscious mistakes.

1. Training Module – Interview Preparatory Kit
Attributes
IMA02 – Posture
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2. Importance of Posture in Interview
Body Language during the Interview is something Candidates tend to over look.
Body language is an integral part of any interview and it can make or break
initial impression that the panel forms about the candidate. This can be
controlled if the candidate is well aware of the factors he/she needs to look into
as far as body language is concerned and avoid unconscious mistakes.
Body language which is a non verbal communication holds around 55%
importance of weight in you interview followed by the tone of your voice which
holds around 38% importance or weight. You will be surprised to know that
verbal content only provides around 7% of the weight in your interview. These
weights are nothing but the message that the interviewers interpret to form an
all round impression about the candidate.
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3. Importance of Posture in Interview
Some of the factors that are important and which form an integral part of body
language are:
 Handshake
 Confident walk
 Eye contact
 Overall Posture (Shoulders back, back straight and Head held up)
All the above mentioned factors make up the entire posture aspect of the
interview. Handshake and Eye Contact are explained in IMA03 and IMA01
respectively
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4. Importance of Posture in Interview
Let’s look at the walk and Overall Posture.
The Confident Walk: When you walk into an interview room with shoulders
high, straight back and head held up it conveys a positive image about the
candidate. But you should make sure you don’t overdo it and come across as an
arrogant person. The confident walk should be followed by a warm handshake
and a smile to everyone in the panel.
Overall Posture: The posture that you maintain during the interview is very
important and can convey your level of confidence at different stages in the
interview. Right from the time you walk in till the time you leave the room you
posture conveys lot of signals to the interview panel. Given below are few tips
for ensuring that you do not lose out when it comes to posture during the
interview.
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5. What you can do [1/3]
 Sit Upright : The best way to ensure that you do it perfectly is to make sure
your lower back touches chair. When you maintain the upright posture you
come across as a confident and a comfortable person. Do not hunch down
you may come across as a nervous person and a person with a low self
esteem. Also avoid sitting on the edge of the chair, if you do that ten of
course you may not have a perfect upright posture and you might also come
across as a tense and nervous person.
Tense
and
nervous
person
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6. What you can do [2/3]
 Lean Forward (Slightly): At some points in the
interview do lean forward towards the interviewer
for about 10-15 degrees. Leaning forward sends
across a message that you are both involved and
interested in the entire process. Leaning sideways
during the interview may send across a message
you are not comfortable or you are nervous.
Leaning backwards can send a message that you
are too relaxed and casual about the entire
process.
 Position your head: By tilting your head a little to
one side you will come across as a friendly person.
When you hold you head straight you do come
across as a self assured and commanding type of
person.
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7. What you can do [3/3]
The confident walk: Please ensure that you are not carrying a back pack into
the interview room on your shoulders, carry it by your hand is you have to or
the best thing is leave it outside the room is possible. Walk with an upright
posture and a smile; also look at the panel while you walk into the room. Walk
with a sense of purpose that the interview is going to be cracked and you are
going to get the job. Take wide steps, it suggests that you have a purpose and
confidence to be the right candidate for the job. Avoid hands in the pocket and
downward glance. One trick that has worked fine is imagining that you have
walked into such a room with an interview panel before the D Day, it is
important that you feel confident inside this will definitely affect how you look
on the outside.
Appearance or grooming: Please read out section on Grooming
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8. IMA02 – Posture Complete
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