Why Job Hunters Should Be Concerned When the Interviewer Leans Back
When you’re interviewing for a job, body language is important—and that includes your interviewer’s body language.
If the interviewer is irritated, she may shake her head, sigh, drum her fingers, rub her face, fold her arms or lean back, according to legal search consultants Valerie Fontaine and Roberta Kass. If the interviewer is bored, he may rest his head on a hand, fiddle with his hands or lose eye contact, they write in an article at Law.com.
A condescending interviewer may lean back in her chair and clasp her hands behind her head, a disapproving interviewer may touch her nose, an interviewer who is taking you seriously may lean forward, and an interviewer who suddenly switches positions may think something you said needs to be considered from a different perspective.
“Since nonverbal communication often is subconscious, it can serve as an early warning allowing you to redirect your efforts, if necessary, before your interviewer becomes consciously aware of any reaction,” they write.
You can also try mirroring the interviewer’s body language, a way of reinforcing agreement and subconsciously indicating that you are similar to that person. “Therefore, observe the interviewer’s body language and subtly reflect it back,” the article says. “Don’t be obvious about it, however, or you’ll become annoying.”
Fontaine and Kass also have recommendations on posture (don’t hunch down or sit on the edge of your seat, and don’t bounce or shake), voice (speak slowly and watch the volume), expression (look interested), and eye contact (avoiding it can signal dishonesty).
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