Use Nonverbal Behaviour to Present Your Best Self

Ace Your Interview & Increase your Chances of Getting Hired

In preparation for an interview, it is imperative to prepare yourself for what you will say, and how you will act. Candidates generally spend a lot of time researching the company and prepare how best to verbally represent themselves, yet nonverbal representation is as important. In fact, it is more important as experts estimate that 70-80% of communication is nonverbal.¹ Multiple studies have suggested that nonverbal cues including increased eye contact, smiling, hand gestures, nods and time spent talking increase an interviewer’s perception of a candidate’s social skill and motivation and therefore increases the chances of that candidate being hired.²  

In one study, researchers found that candidates had a higher chance of getting hired when they engaged in a normal or high degree of eye contact because they were perceived as credible and attractive compared to candidates who averted eye contact.³ 

One study concluded that the amount of eye contact during an interview plays an important role in portraying a candidate’s attributes pertaining to work. Researchers found that if candidates engaged in more eye contact, the interviewer found them to be more “alert, assertive, dependable, confident, responsible, and displaying more initiative.”³ Increased eye contact positively affected the interviewer’s decision to hire those candidates.  

You want to be careful however not to engage in too much eye contact, as staring causes the other person to feel uncomfortable. In The Definitive Book of Body Language, authors Allan and Barbara Pease state that, in order to build rapport, two individuals should hold eye contact for 60-70% of an interaction.⁵ By engaging in this amount of eye contact, you display confidence, gain trust and the other person will begin to like you. 

In addition to increased eye contact, candidates are considered more motivated and to have higher social skills when they use more hand gestures, smile more, talk more and dress more professionally.² However, perceived motivation is not solely based on nonverbal behaviour alone. Other indicators of motivation include punctuality (arriving early for an interview), how a candidate answers questions and the types of questions asked by the candidate.  

So, and want to increase your chances of being hired, be conscious of your nonverbal behaviour during an interview. Smile at appropriate times, use hand gestures as you speak and nod while the interviewer speaks in order to show you are engaged. In addition, be aware of your body language and posture. Keep your back straight by pulling your shoulders down and keep your chest open. Sit closer to the edge of your chair, so you don’t have the opportunity to lean on the back of the chair and seem too casual. By sitting closer to the edge of your chair you can maintain a strong posture, showing you are engaged in the conversation and conveying confidence. 

1 Hull, Raymond H. The Art of Nonverbal Communication in Practice. The Hearing Journal, 69, no. 5, 22-24 (2016). doi: 10.1097/01.HJ.0000483270.59643.cc

2 Gifford, R., Ng, C. F. & Wilkinson, M. Nonverbal Cues in the Employment Interview: Links Between Applicant Qualities and Interviewer Judgments. Journal of Applied Psychology 70, no. 4, 729–36 (1985). doi:10.1037/0021-9010.70.4.729

3 Burgoon, J.K., Manusov, V., Mineo, P. et al. Effects of gaze on hiring, credibility, attraction and relational message interpretation. Journal of Nonverbal Behaviour, 9, 133–146 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01000735

4 Amalfitano, J. G., & Kalt, N. C. Effects of eye contact on the evaluation of job applicants. Journal of Employment Counseling, 14, 46-48 (1977). 

5 Allan Pease and Barbara Pease, The Definitive Book of Body Language (New York: Bantam Books, 2006).