Self-Presentation
Body language can sometimes help you trust a speaker. For example:· expansive, welcoming gestures that seem to flow naturally from the person's behavior
· when someone opens his palms towards simultaneously, that's a sign of openness and honesty; the further the palms come out from their body, the better. In depictions of the great prophets, you see this. It's like saying, 'I have nothing up my sleeve'.
1) Slumped posture = low spirits
2) Erect posture = high spirits, energy and confidence
3) Lean forward = open and interested
4) Lean away = defensive or disinterested
5) Crossed arms = defensive
6) Uncrossed arms = willingness to listen
General suggestions on good body language for the interview
1. Walk slowly, deliberately, and tall upon entering the room.
2. On greeting the 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 the 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 partner by 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 left; never look down.
6. Do not hurry any movement.
7. Relax with every breath.