By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
EP 3046 Practical tips for candidates on how to project confidence and engagement through nonverbal cues such as eye contact, posture, gestures, and facial expressions.
You’re tuning in to another Deep Dive and today, well, we’re tackling something that’s probably on your mind during job interviews. Mm-hmm. What is that interviewer actually thinking behind their, you know, poker face? We want to give you a bit of an insider’s peek.
Yeah, exactly. We’re talking body language, those nonverbal cues happening right there, whether you’re in the room or on a video call. It’s like a whole silent conversation going on.
It really is. So our goal today is to help you maybe recognize and interpret some of those key signals. Think of it like adding another layer to figuring out how things are going.
Okay, but let’s be clear up front. This isn’t some kind of mind-reading superpower we’re offering. Oh, definitely not.
Body language is, well, it’s complicated, nuanced. Right. What one gesture means can change based on, I don’t know, personality.
Vulture. All of that. But knowing the common signals can still give you really valuable clues.
Clues about engagement, how they’re receiving what you’re saying. Okay, so where do we start breaking this down? Seems like a lot to cover. Let’s kick things off with the part you’re most likely to see clearly, especially on video calls.
The head, the face, and the eyes. Makes sense. Okay, eyes first then.
Eye contact. Feels pretty basic, but crucial. It really is.
Generally speaking, if the interviewer is making pretty steady, direct eye contact, that’s usually a good sign. Good how? What does it suggest? It often signals things like confidence, sincerity, and just genuine interest. They’re actually listening to you.
Okay, like they’re engaged. Exactly. Think about when you’re really listening to someone, you tend to look at them.
True. So what about the flip side? If they’re constantly looking away, maybe over your shoulder in person or off screen on a call? Yeah, if they’re frequently breaking eye contact, it could suggest a few things. Maybe they’re distracted.
Or bored. Or bored, yes. Or maybe impatient, wanting to move on.
And this is important for virtual interviews. Oh, right. The setup.
Exactly. They might just be looking at your resume on another screen or taking notes. So a quick glance away isn’t necessarily bad.
So it’s more about the pattern, like consistent looking away. Spot on. If it feels like their attention is just generally elsewhere, that might be a little nudge for you to maybe switch things up.
Like ask a question or change the pace a bit. Yeah, try to re-engage them somehow. It’s just feedback.
Okay, that’s helpful. What about a head tilt? Sometimes you see people do that slight tilt when listening. Ah, the head tilt.
That’s often a really positive cue. Positive. How so? It tends to mean they’re actively listening, really considering what you’re saying.
It can show empathy, engagement. Like they’re leaning in with their mind. Interesting.
Like a non-verbal, hmm, tell me more. Pretty much. Now smiles, they seem obvious, but maybe they aren’t always what they seem.
Right. I was going to ask about that. A smile’s good, but are there different kinds? Absolutely.
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The key difference is often between a genuine felt smile and maybe a more social or polite one. How do you tell? Look at the eyes. A really genuine smile, psychologists sometimes call it a Duchenne smile, involves the muscles around the eyes crinkling up.
Ah, the crow’s feet. Exactly. Those little crinkles, those eye muscles are harder to control consciously, so it’s a more reliable sign of real positive feeling.
Okay, so eye crinkles, good. What if it’s just the mouth smiling, no eye action? Well, a mouth-only smile might just be politeness, they’re being courteous, or potentially it could be a bit forced if they’re maybe feeling awkward or not truly pleased. So again, don’t just look at the smile in isolation.
Never. It’s always about the cluster of cues, the whole picture. Okay, got it.
Let’s move down a bit. Arms and hands. What can they tell us? Sure.
Arms can be quite telling. If they’re open, maybe resting on the chair arms or the table, that usually suggests openness from the interviewer. Like they’re relaxed, receptive? Yeah, relaxed, approachable, willing to hear what you’ve got to say, it projects a welcoming vibe.
Okay, that makes sense. But what about the classic crossed arms? That always feels a bit standoffish. It often is interpreted that way, yeah.
Crossed arms can be a sign that someone’s feeling closed off, maybe a bit defensive or just not really engaged. It’s like a physical barrier. But not always, right? You mentioned context before.
Crucial point. Context is everything. Someone might just be cold, or maybe that’s just how they comfortably sit.
So how do you know? Look for other signs. Are the crossed arms combined with, say, avoiding eye contact or a frown or leaning back? If you see a cluster like that, then it’s a stronger signal they might be disengaged or resistant. Okay, look for the pattern again.
What about hand gestures? Hand gestures can add emphasis. Big, open, expansive gestures might show enthusiasm or passion for what’s being discussed. Could be positive, could be negative, depending on what they’re gesturing about.
And smaller movements, like fidgeting. Right. Things like tapping fingers, playing with a pen, constantly adjusting things.
That could signal some nervousness. On their part. Interesting.
Yeah, or maybe impatience. Remember, interviewers can feel pressure too. True.
What about face touching? Rubbing the chin, touching the nose. Does that mean anything? It can. Sometimes touching the face, like the chin or mouth area, indicates someone is thinking, processing information.
Okay, like contemplating. But frequent touching, especially near the nose or mouth, is sometimes linked to discomfort, stress, or even, in some theories, deception. But honestly, don’t jump to that conclusion.
Don’t assume they’re lying just because they touch their nose. Please don’t. It’s just another tiny piece of data to consider alongside everything else.
Okay. Arms, hands, face touching. Check.
How about posture? The way they’re sitting overall. Posture’s a big one. It speaks volumes about confidence and engagement.
If they’re sitting up relatively straight, shoulders relaxed, torso open towards you, that usually signals they’re feeling confident, comfortable, and attentive. Sounds like a good baseline. What if they’re kind of slumped, hunched over? A slumped posture could mean a few things.
Maybe low energy, lack of interest. Could just be tired, honestly, especially after back-to-back interviews. Or maybe defensive? Or potentially defensive or disengaged, yes.
Again, look at the context. What about leaning? If they lean in a bit while I’m talking? Ah, leaning in is generally a great sign. Yeah, why is that? It physically shows they’re interested, engaged.
They want to hear more. They’re connecting with what you’re saying. It’s a very positive nonverbal cue.
Cool. And I’ve heard about mirroring, where they sort of copy your posture. Yes.
Mirroring is fascinating. It’s often unconscious. When people feel a connection or rapport, they might subtly start to mirror each other’s posture, gestures, even head angle.
So if the interviewer starts sitting like me, that’s good. It can be, yeah. It often suggests they feel comfortable with you, that there’s a sense of connection or agreement building.
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It’s like their body is saying, I’m on the same page. Wow. Okay.
Solid agreement. Love it. Now, legs and feet.
You said they’re harder to see, especially online, but still potential clues. Exactly. Less visible, but if you are in person and can see them, they can offer hints.
Like what? Well, where are their feet pointing? If both feet are pointed generally towards you, it reinforces that idea of engagement and openness. Their whole body is oriented your way. Okay.
And if one foot is like pointing towards the door. Huh. Yeah.
The escape route foot. It can sometimes suggest a subconscious desire to wrap things up or move on, especially if paired with other cues like checking the time or shifting restlessly. Interesting.
What about crossed legs? Is that like crossed arms potentially closed off? It can be interpreted that way, suggesting someone’s a bit more reserved or guarded, but honestly, crossed legs are probably one of the least reliable cues on their own. Why is that? So many people just cross their legs out of habit or for comfort. You’d really need other confirming signals before reading much into just cross legs.
Gotcha. And restless legs, bouncing, tapping. That often points to some underlying energy could be anxiety, impatience, maybe even boredom, similar to fidgety hands.
It’s just nervous energy finding an outlet. Okay. Wow.
We’ve broken down a lot here. Eyes, face, arms, posture, even feet. But the big message seems to be, don’t fixate on one single thing.
Absolutely. 100%. That’s probably the most important takeaway.
Interpreting body language isn’t like reading a dictionary. It’s not precise. So many things could affect it, right? So many.
We mentioned culture gestures mean different things globally. Personality plays a huge role. Some folks are just naturally more expressive or reserved.
And practical stuff like being cold, making you cross your arms. Exactly. Or having a bad back, making someone slouch.
You can’t just see one thing and decide, aha, they hate me or aha, I’ve got the job. So it’s about the clusters. See multiple signals pointing the same way.
Precisely. Look for patterns. Are several cues telling a consistent story? Is the lean in matched with eye contact and nods? That’s much more meaningful than just one isolated gesture.
And always, always consider the overall context of the conversation. And we also need to remember interviewers are human too, and they might be consciously trying to seem welcoming. That’s a really smart point.
Many are trained or naturally inclined to use positive body language, open posture, smiling to put candidates at ease. So it’s part of creating a good candidate experience. Right.
Which is generally positive, but it doesn’t automatically mean they’ve made up their mind about you based purely on that welcoming body language. So, okay, bottom line, pay attention to these cues. They can offer insights, but don’t let it distract you from the main event, which is the actual conversation.
Answering well, asking good questions. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Think of this knowledge as just another tool.
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It adds a layer of understanding, helps you gauge the temperature of the room, maybe adapt slightly. But your focus has to be on communicating your value. And it goes both ways, doesn’t it? They’re reading our body language too.
Oh, absolutely. Constantly. How you sit, your eye contact, your gestures.
It all contributes to the impression you make. Projecting confidence and engagement non-verbally is just as important. Well, this has been a super insightful deep dive.
Hopefully it demystifies some of that silent communication for our listeners. Yeah. Hopefully it empowers you to be a bit more observant next time and use those observations constructively.
So when you head into that next interview, definitely keep these nonverbal signals in the back of your mind, but mostly focus on being yourself, be authentic, and really show them what you bring to the table. Well said. And maybe here’s a final thought to chew on.
Now that you’re more aware of these nonverbal signals, which specific cues from an interviewer might you pay a little closer attention to next time? And more importantly, how might noticing those cues actually shape how you navigate the rest of that conversation?
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