November 2004

Career Tip

Don’t underestimate the power of body language during a job interview! Here are seven tips from Knock 'Em Dead 2003, by Martin Yates:

1. Walk slowly, deliberately and tall upon entering the room.

2. On greeting your interviewer, give (and, hopefully, receive) a friendly “eyebrow flash”—that brief, slight raising of the brows that calls attention to the face, encourages eye contact, and (when accompanied by a natural smile) sends a strong positive signal that the interview has gotten off to a good start.

3. Use mirroring techniques. In other words, make an effort — subtly! — to reproduce the positive signals your interviewer sends. (Of course, you should never mirror negative body signals.) Say the interviewer leans forward to make a point; a few moments later, you lean forward slightly in order to hear better. Say the interviewer leans back and laughs; you “laugh beneath” the interviewer’s laughter, taking care not to overwhelm your counterpart using an inappropriate volume level. This technique may seem contrived at first, but you will learn that it is far from that, if only you experiment a little.

4. Maintain a naturally alert head position; keep your head up and your eyes front at all times.

5. Remember to avert your gaze from time to time so as to avoid the impression that you are staring; when you do so, look confidently and calmly to the right or to the left; never look down.

6. Do not hurry any movement.

7. Relax with every breath.

Do you need to be coached to success for an upcoming interview? Contact Julie Swaner in Alumni Career Services so that you can learn how to Knock 'Em Dead in high style interviewing.

U-News & Views © 2004 - An online publication
by the University of Utah Alumni Association
Questions? Concerns? Contact Linda Marion, editor (801-587-7837)
or Marcia Dibble, assistant editor (801-581-6996)