Stay in check:
A bad showing can negate even the best job interviews
You never see good poker players sweat. It should be the same for job seekers. But for some, a bout with perspiration is inevitable. Does this sound familiar? Your palms are sweaty, your leg shakes up and down like a jackhammer and your collar suddenly feels like it’s tightening by the second, cutting off oxygen to your brain.
If this sounds like your typical reaction during an interview— whether in person or online— it’s time to try to keep your anxiety in check. While it’s no secret that job interviews can be stressful, many job seekers spend too much time worrying about what they’re going to say only to blow it with their body language.
While it may seem unfair, image is a key component of an interview. A recruiter can usually size up a job candidate in about 30 seconds or less, so you don’t want to look like a disheveled mess before you even say a word.
Here’s a guide to what some verbal and nonverbal cues could be saying about you in the eyes of an interviewer:
Nervous ticks say ‘I’m an unfocused employee.’
Ticks such as drumming your fingers, cracking your knuckles, shaking your foot or rubbing your neck could make you appear like a future employee who won’t be able to stay focused and composed under pressure.
To break your habits, concentrate on being relaxed and sitting up straight, and lean slightly forward in your chair to project interest and engagement in your interaction with the interviewer. Show your enthusiasm by keeping an interested expression, nodding and making positive gestures in moderation.
Non-stop chatter says ‘I’m full of myself and not a team player.’
Job candidates who talk too much about themselves during an interview may appear arrogant and unable to work cooperatively with others. It’s better to give clear and concise answers to questions, eliminating unnecessary personal information, suggests Paul C. Green, author of “Get Hired! Winning Strategies to Ace the Interview” (SkilFast, $16.95).
“Most interviewers will see over-talking as selfindulgence, insecurity or an attempt to control the
interview,” Green writes. “You should be alert to the interviewer’s subtle clues and respond to his or her specific need for information. If your answers are too long and too
detailed, the interviewer may, at best, think you cannot distinguish the important from the trivial; at worst, label you a ‘motor mouth.’ ”
Dressing too conservatively says ‘I’ve got a drab personality.’
While many suggest going conservative when picking an outfit for the job interview, you don’t want to go overboard and project a boring personality. Instead, pick out something that’s both fashionable and tasteful to show off your true self.
“Commanding respect is especially key to executive style and those who inspire it, but that doesn’t require a wardrobe
of boring suits,” says Sherrie Mathieson, a corporate style consultant. “In today’s society, if you dress old, people are going to assume that you think old. But when you see someone dressed in a modern, hip fashion, you presume they’re up on today’s world. It’s as compelling as it is attractive.”
Bad stories say ‘I’m an insensitive, offensive employee.’
Having a sense of humor is a good trait to show during
an interview, but be careful about comments that could be considered offensive. Offending an interviewer is an easy way to be quickly eliminated from consideration.
“Anecdotes or jokes that involve race, gender, national origin, religion, age or disabilities are out of bounds,” Green says. “If you’re tempted to tell a story with any of these elements, stop yourself. Not only does such misuse of stereotypes reflect on your sensitivity and character, you may tread on unseen toes without knowing it.” Wrinkled clothes say ‘I’m unprofessional and lazy.’
Showing up with a ragged appearance sends the message that you’re not concerned with making yourself appear professional, and it could reflect poorly on your potential to do quality work, says Emily Alexandria Burns, manager of corporate communications at ID Media in New York City.
“If you arrive disheveled, messy and not well put together, it may be a reflection on your work ethic, or may lower expectations on what you can offer as an employee,” Burns says. “Employers want to feel that you take a job
opportunity seriously, and dressing the part of a smart professional is key.”