Article by Vivian Giang and published online by Business Insider.
As soon as you walk into a room, before you say anything, people are already trying to figure out who you are. What signals and messages are you sending with your posture and facial expressions?
In a job interview, your body language is especially important, since your behavioral habits communicate certain messages to hiring managers.
In a survey released by job site CareerBuilder on Thursday, 48% of hiring managers said they know within the first 5 minutes of an interview if a candidate is a good fit for the job. And the candidate’s body language is a top factor in their decisions.
CareerBuilder asked 2,201 hiring managers about the worst body language mistakes they’ve seen in an interview. Here’s what they said:
- Failure to make eye contact
- Failure to smile
- Bad posture
- Fidgeting too much
- Playing with something on the table
- Handshake that is too weak
- Crossing your arms over your chest
- Playing with your hair or touching your face
- Using too many hand gestures
When interviewing, remember that it’s normal to be nervous, but you should learn to control your body and face so the nerves don’t show. If your body language says you’re anxious, hiring managers may think you aren’t capable or confident enough to do the job required.
