Have you ever gone to an interview feeling totally prepared, and thought that you gave all the right answers throughout, only to be left wondering why you never got called back with a job offer? While there are certainly many possible explanations for something like this happening, one common reason that we at Labor Solutions encounter fairly often is the message conveyed by a candidate’s body language. Let’s talk about that.
What Your Body Is Saying About You
Since the first Friday of October is designated National Body Language Day, we at Labor Solutions thought this would be a great opportunity to take a moment to talk about how we express ourselves physically, sometimes without even realizing what we are conveying to others.
“Body language” refers to all the nonverbal communication that helps us better understand each other. This includes facial expressions, gestures, postures, and other physical movements. Some of this type of communication is intentional, but much of it is unconscious. Nonetheless, there is a great deal of information expressed through body language, intentional or not.
Eye contact is one crucial element of communication that generally indicates a person’s level of focus and interest. If you’ve ever tried to converse with someone who stares at their phone as you speak, you probably got the impression that they weren’t really interested in what was being said.
Posture can also speak volumes about a person. Slumping, slouching, and looking downward a lot make one come across as apathetic, bored, unhappy, or lacking in self-assurance. Standing up straight with your chin up and shoulders back will give you an air of poise and competence that inspires confidence in others.
Put Your Best Foot Forward
If you are uncertain about how your body language might be sending the wrong message to potential employers, just come into the Labor Solutions office to talk to a recruiter. We’ll be glad to give you some honest feedback without judgment so you can ace your next interview.
