Congratulations! You submitted a compelling resume and secured an in-person job interview. The next step in your job search journey is to ensure the message relayed by your body language does not distract from the career message shared in your resume.
The folks at The Undercover Recruiter shared an infographic displaying the process interviewers use to assess a potential hire. Thirty-three percent of the 2,000 leadership respondents indicated they make a hiring decision within the first 90 seconds of an interview.
The research further documented the nonverbal and body language mistakes made by job seekers and the impact of those mistakes on the hiring decision. Among the body language mistakes reported in the survey which had a negative impact on the hiring decision were:
- Not making eye contact
- Failure to smile
- Poor posture
- Excessive fidgeting
- Feeble handshake
- Arms crossed over the chest
- Fondling your hair or touching the face
- Excessive amount of hand gestures
Other non-verbal factors which swayed the hiring decision included the interviewee’s attire, confidence, voice quality and room presence.
You only have a short time time to make a positive and lasting first impression. Don’t let your body language ruin your next job opportunity.
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