Interview Body Language [Why You’re Doing it Wrong]

This week I was speaking with a gentleman who was struggling with interviews. He had no problem getting interviews and getting through phone screens, but when it came to the in-person interview, he never progressed. He was super smart, sharp, and knew his stuff. I was impressed with his depth of knowledge for only having about 4 years of experience in his profession.

Sadly, he was hung up by the same thing many others get hung up on - interviewers applying biases based on body language clues that are purely wrong. You see, he was a second-generation American and grew up in a home that still maintained many cultural attributes from the country his family immigrated from. You wouldn’t know it by the way he spoke, but he didn’t share all the same expressions that TV sitcoms teach us to associate with emotions.

This isn’t your average body language tips you read all over the internet. Yes, I will leave you with some advice, but first I want to tackle what I call folk psychology and why we shouldn’t put so much stock in body language.

The Problem With Interview Body Language

I want to start this article off by discussing an episode of Friends, the famous TV Sitcom. There’s an episode where Ross discovers that his best friend, Chandler, is dating his sister, Monica. Neither Monica nor Chandler have the courage to tell Ross and he finds out because he sees them together romantically through a window. He barges in yelling and Chandler tries to escape out a window while Ross is chasing him.

Most of us could watch that episode of Friends with the sound off and still know what is happening. Why? Because of folk psychology. Hollywood has led us to understand that there are certain facial signs and body language that match a person’s feelings and attitude. It’s not based on real science, hence the term folk psychology.

But this idea that people’s behavior and demeanor provide a reliable window into the way they feel on the inside is a fallacy.

There have been multiple studies done by anthropologists and psychologists that show us these clues aren’t universal in everyone and that we often get it wrong when we use body language and facial expressions as a judgment about others.

There was a Harvard study that examined defendants' arraignment hearings in New York from 2008 to 2013. Harvard built an AI system and fed it the same information that prosecutors gave to the judges. Then they looked at the AI and the actual decision from the judge to see which list committed the fewest crimes while out on bail. The computer’s list was 25% less likely to commit a crime while awaiting trial.

When they looked into this, they found that biases came into play when judges met the defendants in court. They were influenced by body language and expression. And a good amount of the time, they got it wrong.

Another study done by psychologist Tim Levine found similar findings. He would invite students into the lab for a trivia test. They were each given a partner that would encourage them to cheat. Then the instructor would leave the room. Later they would interview the students and ask them if they had cheated. Then they would ask if they were telling the truth. And finally, they would ask what they thought their partner would say when they asked them the same questions.

At the end, he would have people watch the tapes of the interviews and determine if they were telling the truth or lying. Only half of the time, did they get it right.

You see, sometimes nervousness doesn’t mean the person isn’t telling the truth or in the case of an interview, doesn’t know how to do their job well. It simply means that they are nervous.

Just because someone is stoic and doesn’t show a lot of expression, doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in your job or that they would feel overwhelmed. It doesn’t mean anything at all. Yet because of folk psychology, we place more meaning on expressions and body language than is often there.

All of the studies and statistics I referenced can be found in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Talking to Strangers. It’s worth reading.

What Is Body Language in an Interview

So what are we to do? Well, until this changes, I suppose those of us from different cultures and with certain conditions just have to do our best to learn this folk psychology and apply these nonverbal communication “skills” the best we can.

We also as a community should advocate in hiring meetings that we all become aware of what is happening and seek to check our own biases. Hiring isn’t an episode of Friends.

But what does all this look like in an interview setting?

Body language is more than just facial expressions. It’s eye contact, posture, clicking your pen, how you shake someone’s hand - all of it. And unfortunately, you’re going to be judged (incorrectly many times) by these things.

Body Language During Interviews

Because others believe your nonverbal cues speak volumes, here’s a crash course on folk psychology forms of communication. Below is what many mangers consider positive body language and how to apply all of this during the interview process.

Nod When It’s Appropriate

I had a candidate once who always wore a poker face. It was who they were. No extremes of emotion and when in person it was often hard to tell if he grasped the concepts I was communicating to him and whether he was even interested in the jobs I was presenting. But over the phone, you couldn’t tell that easily. It’s because I was deploying my understanding of facial expressions, incorrectly at that.

Folk psychology tells us to show emotion that corresponds with what we want the other person to believe. If you’re being educated on something, nodding and smiling make it seem like you get the concept. If you’re interviewing for a new job, a slight raise in the eyebrow muscles and a small pull that creates a smile is the “right” expression to show interest. Just don’t turn into a bobblehead and overdo it.

There’s a whole science around facial expressions called FACS (facial action coding system) which is quite fascinating. If you want to know more about that, Paul Ekman does training on it.

Make Eye Contact

It’s disappointing that so much weight is put on this one because some people genuinely struggle with eye contact for legitimate reasons. Yet here we are in 2024 and not much has changed. Do your best not to have shifty eyes (someone really told me that once). Look them in the eye, project your voice to say hello, and offer a firm handshake (but not too firm).

If you struggle with this, take a deep breath before you enter and do the best you can.

Dress the Part

Ok, it’s not body language, but you’ll be judged just the same by what you wear. Yes, even today hiring managers associate your clothes with your potential success. Sounds silly when you think about it, doesn’t it? But just take a look at this post from Bonnie Dilber who experienced the same thing online.

Don’t wear anything with lots of patterns either. Your best bet is to go with a basic suit or blouse. Think the Enterprise Rent-A-Car uniform. Those of you who have ever rented a car know what I mean. Plain white button-down, solid color pants with basic shoes and a belt.

If you can’t afford clothes, check out organizations like Dress for Success or local Buy Nothing Groups on Facebook.

Mirror the Interviewer

This is straight out of the old-school sales playbook, but it’s valid. The idea is to mirror the posture of the other person. If they lean in, you lean in. If they sit back in their seat, you do the same thing.

Folk psychology tells us that this type of body language signals to the other person that we’re interested in what is being said. Paying attention to the mannerisms of the other person will help you.

Posture

One of my favorites. If you slouch, you must lack energy. Many people take this as a sign that you lack confidence or are low energy. Take a few days and pretend you're a princess in training at the dinner table. Shoulders back, chin up, no sudden movements. There you go, now you know how to interview and be royalty. Sitting up straight matters.

Don’t Tap

Fidgeting is not appropriate for royals and it’s apparently not appropriate for interviews either. You’d think you were interviewing for the King’s job at this point. But I have to tell you it’s another false sign people will assume means that you aren’t being truthful or that you’ll feel overwhelmed with this type of work.

If you’re the type that talks with your hands, do it. I find that trying to not talk with your hands when you naturally do so makes you fidget instead which is a worse look in the eyes of many managers.

If you tend to fidget, try placing one hand on top of the other somewhere on the table in front of you or interlacing your fingers. I find that this helps me keep my hands under control.

Don’t Fold Your Arms

Folding your arms to some people indicates that you are rigid and hard to get along with. Yes, I’ve had managers tell me this in debriefs. Don’t fold your arms across your chest, even if it’s cold in the room and you’re trying to keep warm.

Facial Expressions

I wish I had an easy way to teach you facial expressions and their meanings, but I don’t. The best thing I’ve found is FACS (facial action coding system) which associates 43 muscle movements in the face and how they relate to emotion. There’s a good overview of FACS on the IMotions blog. Don’t be afraid to practice expressions in the mirror if you feel the need.

These expressions are not universal across the globe. There have been several anthropological studies that have shown this including the most famous one with the Trobriand Islanders. Depending on your background and culture, this may be something to work on and practice. Unfortunately, you will be judged on these things. One study by psychologist Albert Mehrabian found that body language (including these expressions) is weighed more than the words you speak.

Interview Body Language in Remote Interviews

Because more and more of us are interviewing remotely these days, I think it’s beneficial to take a moment and discuss all of this in the context of remote interviews - the ones over video. Much of the advice still pertains from the chest up, but there are some nuances when it comes to video job interviews.

Don’t Let Your Eyes Drift

Try not to look off into the distance or away at your notes. If you bring notes with you, keep them on the same screen as your camera so you’re not looking around. Many people see this as an indication that you are distracted or not engaged.

Make Eye Contact Through the Screen

If you have more than one screen, make sure the interviewer is on the screen with your camera. If you can, put them toward the top of the screen closest to the camera. If you have a big screen and they’re at the bottom, it doesn’t look like you’re making eye contact. To make eye contact, you have to look into your camera, not at the other person.

Also, posture still matters. They can tell if you slouch, so keep those shoulders back.

Avoid Small Patterns and Colors

Patterns and some colors don’t work well on videos. One time I recorded myself wearing one of my favorite patterned button-downs. When I watched it, it was hard because the pattern makes this harsh effect on the screen that is very distracting. Be aware of this.

Camera Angle

This is something I didn’t learn until I started working in marketing (one of my many career pivots). You want to be seated in the center of the screen with about an inch or two of space above the top of your head. And you want the camera to be looking at you straight on or slightly from the top if possible.

Lighting

You don’t need anything fancy. The important thing to remember is to not have light coming from behind you. If you’re seated with a window behind you the light can wash you out of the picture and make it hard for the other person to see you. The light should always be in front of you.

Backgrounds

Almost every video app these days can add a virtual background or blur the background. I wish I could tell you that you won’t be judged by your background, but I can’t. There was a UK study that analyzed this last year and found that people with plants and bookcases in their background had higher trust and competency impressions (Plos One). Should it matter, no. Does it, I guess so.

Interview Body Langauge Recommended Reading

Answers to “What Do You Do For Fun?” in an Interview

What Would You Do If You Knew You Couldn’t Fail Interview Answers

How to Kill an Interview

38 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

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Cole Sperry has been a recruiter and resume writer since 2015, working with tens of thousands of job seekers, and hundreds of employers. Today Cole runs a boutique advisory firm consulting with dozens of recruiting firms, oversees Optim’s Resume Revision Service and On-Demand Coaching Program, and is the Managing Editor at OptimCareers.com.