11 forbidden gestures in a job interview

What nonverbal language should we avoid during a job interview?

It is true that it is impossible to read people's minds by observing their gestures, but that does not mean that in the world of nonverbal language there are no codes of behavior.

They are not rules that we have been taught in classrooms or that we have had to memorize by reading texts, of course, but, even without realizing it, we are always judging what kind of posture we should be using during a job interview, we are always judging what kind of postures and movements speak well of a person and which ones speak badly of him or her. and which ones speak to us badly about them.

The fact of knowing how to use or not this code or "etiquette" of nonverbal communication affects us in many facets of our life, but if there is a context in which this dimension of our behavior is decisive, it is in the job interview, where the person who interviews us will try to know as much as possible about us in the minimum time.

Gestures and postures to avoid in a selection process

Below you can see the most common mistakes during a job interview in terms of non-verbal communication.

1. Weak handshake or "fillet hand".

The handshake is usually the first contact with the person who is going to interview us, and therefore it is of great importance as a way to make an impression on the interviewee. is of great importance as a way of making a first impression in the most literal sense.. In this situation, some people may give a very weak handshake (known as a "steak hand") because of nerves or because they feel intimidated by the situation.

It is important to avoid this: the handshake should be firm, to show assertiveness and avoid showing a passive attitude. In addition, it should be accompanied by a look at the person's face, it must be accompanied by a direct look into the eyes of the other person..

2. Hands in pockets

When nerves appear, it is common to realize that "you have a pair of hands" and you don't know what to do with them. We are so afraid of making a mistake that we start to question all our possible movements, and that paralyzes us. One of the solutions found to this is to end the problem by making our hands disappear inside our pockets. However, it is a bad idea.

Having our hands in our pockets during a job interview or during the transition between the handshake and the moment when we are going to sit down in the chair that the other person offers us causes the impression of passivity and insecurity. The alternative to this is to let your arms hang normally and use your hands to gesture to accompany your speech.

3. Crossing arms

Crossing the arms appears as a solution to the problem of nerves mentioned above. However, is even worse than putting your hands in your pockets, as it is a less discreet gesture and also denotes a defensive attitude.It is a less discreet gesture and also denotes a defensive attitude.

4. Pouncing on the table

Once seated at the table where the interview will take place, it is important to maintain an upright position, it is important to maintain an upright positionThe back and thighs should be at a 90-degree angle. To lean forward on the table with too much weight on the arms is a gesture of fatigue and causes a bad image because it is considered unprofessional.

5. Touching your head

Another reaction to stressful situations is to touch certain parts of the head and face. These are usually the nose, mouth or hair. It is important to keep an eye on oneself to make sure that this does not occur as a repetitive act.It is important to keep an eye on yourself to make sure that this does not occur as a repetitive act, because it hinders communication by forcing you to keep your gaze somewhat lowered or to hide part of your face behind your hand and arm.

6. Avoiding eye contact

Keeping our gaze fixed on the face and eyes of the person interviewing us when they speak to us is essential. However, it is important that, instead of focusing on looking them in the eye, we are more concerned about not looking them in the eye, i.e., being aware of when we break eye contact rather than during eye contact, since the opposite can make us worry too much about the image we give and stop paying attention to what we are and stop paying attention to what is being said.

7. Resting your head on your hand

Supporting the weight of the head on one arm can be an automatic gesture that appears as a response to stress and stress. that appears as a response to stress and fatigue produced by the situation of having to manage our role well during the interview. However, it is something that we must avoid completely, among other things because it makes our posture become asymmetrical, which gives an image of tiredness and disinterest.

8. Getting too close

It is important to keep in mind that a job interview belongs to the professional sphere, where personal distances are greater than during informal dealings. This must be reflected in our non-verbal language and we must leave a space between us and the interviewer. We must leave a space between us and the interviewer..

9. Maintain an oblique posture

Positioning yourself diagonally to the person interviewing you is an automatic reaction that some people have when they want to hide part of their face or prefer not to reveal their whole body. This is interpreted as a sign of insecurity and a strategy to stay on the defensive..

10. Bending the back

Staying in a hunched position while sitting is very common in people unaccustomed to sitting correctly and, besides being bad for your health, it gives a bad image, as it is a sign of tiredness..

11. Do not gesticulate

Nerves can cause us to "freeze" our whole body and just talk.. This turns our message and our expression into something empty of nuances and uninteresting. It is advisable to accompany what we say with hand and arm gestures at the same pace as we speak.