BODY LANGUAGE 1.8

BODY LANGUAGE 1.8

[BODY LANGUAGE &  

YOUR PERFORMANCE IN P.I.]

You may have heard people say that most interviewers make up their minds within the first five to ten minutes of an interview. And, in many cases, it’s true – a lot of interviewers judge candidates on what they say and do within those initial few minutes.

So make sure that you put in a commanding performance:

• Offer a solid handshake.

• Demonstrate your enthusiasm.

• Make a positive comment.

• Be prepared for some chitchat.

• Wait until the interviewers indicate for you to sit.

*Concentrate on making a great impression in those first few minutes and the interviewers may well warm to you and make the rest of the interview that much more enjoyable. But keep your guard up at all times – listen carefully to every question, never interrupt the interviewers, and think before you speak!

First impressions counts ! If you appear nervous in your first few minutes, you make it much harder for yourself as you’ll be fighting against the interviewers’ initial impression of you. Follow these tried-and-tested tips for making your first couple of minutes go smoothly:

1. Smile broadly as you enter the room.
2. Maintain eye contact while saying hello - and say it with enthusiasm.
3. Give the interviewers a firm (but not vice-like) hand-shake; and then follow their lead by sitting down when they do. 
4. Create the impression that you’re an upbeat and optimistic person.

"A first impression is a lasting impression. Today projecting a powerful first impression is the key to success in personal, professional and social life. After all, everyone wants to succeed in life but your success is heavily dependent on others. People judge you in a matter of seconds and based on this first impression they decide everything about you. Even people decide what kind of relationship they want with a new acquaintance within the first 10 minutes of their meeting." according to a recent study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

"Handshake leads to positive feelings. But it's just not any handshake that leads to positive feelings, it's particular way of shaking hands like a firm, confident, yet friendly handshake, as is often promoted as good business practice. In a business setting, this is what people are expecting and those who know these things use them. And it conveys something very important, very basic."

~ Florin Dolcos, Beckman Institute researcher 

In a new neuroscience research, scientists have confirmed the power of a good hand shake - strangers do form a better impression of those who offer their hand in greeting. A firm, friendly handshake has long been recommended in the business world as a way to make good first impression. The researchers have found that a quality handshake not only increases the positive effect towards a favourable interaction, but it also diminishes the impact of a negative impression. 

*as per the online published report in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.

Eye contact is critical in interviews. Failing to look the interviewers in the eye conveys an impression of nervousness or that you are embellishing on the truth. Assuming that you don’t want to be perceived as anxious or a fraudster, you must develop the skill of making solid eye contact. However, good eye contact doesn't mean staring at the interviewers throughout your conversation with them. In fact, two rules govern eye contact:

• Look when the interviewers talk: Aim to look at an interviewer for at least 90 per cent of the time when he or she is asking questions or otherwise speaking.
• Look away for part of the time when you talk: Looking away is okay for a portion of the time when speaking. For example, a lot of candidates tend to look away for a few seconds when they are trying to recall an example.

*Making more than 90 per cent eye contact when you are speaking will probably freak the interviewers out! Aim to look at them for around a half to two-thirds of the time when you are speaking.

If you be serious (remaining angry) all the 64 muscles in your face have to come into action. But if you smile, only 13 muscle-action is needed. Moreover, man is the only living being who can smile. As per NLP Research, results show that a genuine smile offers your personality an extra charm and an instant image make over. Even this also works as an immediate mood changer for the person next to you when you exchange smiles with each other. So, next time you face any interview, do not forget that you're not fully dressed until you Wear A Smile.

*Here is a classic example from the pages of History about the magical effects of a genuine smile.

'During the Spanish civil war, Antoine de Saint Exupery was captured and kept in prison cell. Undoubtedly he was to be put to death the very next day, by the authorities. He wanted to smoke, as he had no matches, he requested the jailer if he had matches. While lightening the cigarette, the jailer accidentally made an eye contact with him who was smiling (without any reason). Even though the jailer tried to be a little tough, but the smile of the Saint Exupery drew the jailer into conversation. What happened soon after was that the jailer helped the saint to escape from the prison and saved him from death.'