MightyRecruiterWhat Interview Body Language Can Tell You
The interview is often where an employer will meet a potential new worker for the first time. Therefore, first impressions are vital for both people involved. You likely expect the interviewee to be professional and exhibit interest in the position, and you need to appear attentive in return. Although the answers to your questions will give you a good sense if this person is a right fit for the organization, you also need to pay attention to the candidate’s interview body language. Sometimes, people’s body language reveals more about their personality than what they say.
The Basics
There are a few simple things you should watch out for while you are interviewing someone. These include:
-A firm handshake. It should not be too loose or too tight.
-Eye contact. You need to pay attention to see if someone is locking eyes consistently or if they are constantly darting their eyes around the room.
-Speaking in a calm, comfortable manner. They should speak clearly and not have a lot of pauses in their answers.
Paying attention to how an interviewee behaves will give you a good sense of how he or she will act on the job. However, it is important to bear in mind that these typical interview body language tips are not absolute.
Be Mindful of Deception
Although eye contact and a solid handshake are important to an extent, it is important to remember that these are skills that can be learned. A job candidate may maintain eye contact with you simply because he or she knows that is what you are looking for when it actuality, he or she has no interest in what you have to say. Conversely, someone who speaks a little haphazardly or has a fairly weak handshake may be a little nervous. A particular applicant who would otherwise make a great addition to your organization may be letting nerves get the best of him or her. While the above mentioned nonverbal cues should be taken into consideration a little bit, there is something else you can do in order to get a true sense of a candidate’s personality through other interview body language signs.
See How They Act Before the Interview
Many times, you may need the applicant to wait for a few minutes before meeting with them. After you have conducted your interview, ask the receptionist or anyone else who interacted with the candidate what they thought. Your receptionist may tell you when candidates immediately pull out their cell phones and start texting or if they were rude in any way. A job applicant should take the necessary steps to impress everyone in the organization and not just you. By seeing how candidates behave when they think no one is watching, you will get a much better impression of how they will behave on a day-to-day basis.
A Walkthrough
Most interviewees will prepare to shake your hand firmly and to keep eye contact throughout the meeting. However, many of them will not be expected to receive a tour of the company at the end of the interview. An excellent way to gather additional interview body language signs is to do something unexpected that the applicant cannot prepare for. You can end the typical interview portion by letting the candidate know when he or she should expect to hear back and shake hands, but before leaving, you should invite the candidate for a tour of the office or store.
You should introduce the applicant to other people who work for you and see how the candidate behaves. Some of the questions you need to ask yourself while you are giving the tour include:
-Do they maintain eye contact with other employees
-Do they begin the conversation by giving a solid handshake to everyone they meet
-Do they ask questions and seem genuinely interested in the answers
-Do they smile when appropriate
-Overall, do they seem comfortable while you are giving this tour, or does it seem like they would prefer to leave
Additionally, you should ask your current employees what they thought of the new person. Your workers may have picked up on something you missed, or maybe your workers really enjoyed spending time with someone you were on the fence about. While basic interview body language signs are important to an extent, other techniques will provide you with crucial insight into a candidate’s true mindset.
Interviewing can be one of the toughest parts of being an employer, but luckily for you, Mighty Recruiter has plenty of resources on how to have a more productive interviewing experience.