Summary: Sara discusses how body language can tell things about us that we may not want to share in an interview setting, and she gives listeners a few pointers on how to give the right impression. To download this podcast, click hereImage and body language is critical because people create their impressions and ideas of how smart, credible, and confident someone is in the first seven seconds of meeting them. It is therefore extremely important to be aware of and understand your body language and what it is saying about you. When you walk into a room, you want to project a look of confidence. The best way to do that is to keep good posture by keeping your shoulders back, approach the interviewer, give them a firm handshake, and thank them for interviewing you, all the while maintaining eye contact. Some common “ticks” that people display is that after they are seated for an interview, they may fidget with their fingers, twirl their hair, of wag their foot. All these little habits are extremely distracting for the interviewer. To stop yourself from doing this, you should bring a pad and pen to the interview and you should keep both feet on the floor, which will help stop yourself from wagging your foot, help keep good posture, and help project your voice. To stop yourself from appearing overconfident, you should be yourself, always smile, and maintain eye contact. If you are making up an answer, or lying, you usually give yourself away by opening your eyes wider, and by rubbing your nose (the pad and pen will prevent you from rubbing your nose). If the interviewer is interested in you as a candidate, they will tend to lean forward; on the other hand, if someone doesn’t like what you are saying, they will lean back and tug on their ear. When this happens, you should ask the interviewer a question; you should always go into an interview with a few questions. Sara’s final tips are (1) you must be aware of what your body ticks are, (2) you should go into the interview relaxed with your pen and pad to keep control of your hands, and (3) you must keep both feet firmly on the ground. As an Image and Body Language Specialist, Sara Canuso, President of A Suitable Solution, empowers individuals to use non-verbal communication, image, and body language as tools to communicate effectively with others and to understand not only what others say, but to discover the unspoken messages and feelings behind their words and actions. Her insightful keynote presentations, business seminars and one-on-one coaching on the Impact of Image deliver new ideas and practical tools in the areas of creating powerful first impressions, developing a positive self image, dressing for success, and inspiring confidence. Sara is the creator of Campus to Corporate, a program held in area colleges to help students prepare to enter the workplace. She is a certified seminar leader and known for her informative and popular column in Philadelphia Maven and her Winning Look articles in the Legal Intelligencer and the Burlington County Straight Word.sara@asuitablesolution.com www.asuitablesolution.com Like this podcast, why not share it?
