We’ve all heard about the importance of first impressions, but when it comes to a job interview, research suggests that 49 percent of employers know if a candidate is a good fit for a position within the first five minutes of an interview.
By 15 minutes, that number reaches 90 percent.
One reason employers may be able to make such a quick judgment is non-verbal communication. Body language like facial expressions, tone of voice or posture can often reveal just as much as words – if not more.
There is some evidence to support that only 5% of the information we receive is through the words spoken i.e. the content 38% of the information we receive is through our interpretation of the tone of voice being used and 55% of the message is received through the non-verbal communication.
According to employers, some of the most common mistakes candidates make in the interview are related to body language:
1. Failing to make eye contact
2. Failing to smile
3. Playing with something on the table
4. Having bad posture
5. Fidgeting too much in their seat
6. Crossing their arms over their chest
7. Playing with their hair or touching their face
8. Having a weak handshake
9. Using too many hand gestures
10. Having a handshake that is too strong
So when preparing for any interview it is important that you tune onto how you present yourself non-verbally and pay attention to what your posture, gestures and facial expressions say about you to the employer
