Body language can either help or hurt you during a video interview. Even though you aren’t there in person at the office for the interview, you are still meeting the interviewer face-to-face online over video. Your job interviewer can still see you from the waist up and holds the same amount of judgement for your body language as they would in a traditional interview. That is why you should be sure you are exhibiting the proper body language in your video interview.
Like in a traditional interview, having good body language is important for job seekers. We can prepare and dress nicely for the video interview, but what we say through our body language speaks volumes about our character. The first step towards establishing good body language in a video interview is to give a good eye-contact. Although job seekers may not be able to give that good firm handshake to the interviewer when they first meet, they can give good eye-contact and a warm greeting. Looking away from the interviewer shows that you’re distracted or uninterested in what’s being said. So in order to get off on the right foot, make sure you look your interviewer in the eye when you first meet, and establish constant eye contact throughout the video interview.
There are also other body language cues you should take into consideration when doing a video interview. For one, make sure you have good posture throughout the interview. People that tend to have a lot of nervous energy will shake their legs, move their hands around a lot, or tap their fingers on the table. Whatever it may be to release the nerves, it will be noticed by the interviewer. Try your best to keep yourself from moving around too much during your video interview. Moving around like this not only shows that you’re nervous, but it may also make you look as though you are distracted.
Show that you are paying attention to what is being said by the interviewer by nodding your head and looking focused. Your facial expressions tend to speak for you, so if you’re confused by a question or have negative emotions about the video interview, try to keep a smile on your face. Also, it’s always good to lean in a bit to show that you are listening to what is being said. In a video interview, depending on the amount of screen you take up, you don’t want to lean in too close where your entire face takes up the screen. Keep your screen image in mind and try not to obscure it. Keep these tips in mind in order to exude the proper body language in your video interview.
Do you pay attention to an employer’s or the interviewer’s body language in an interview? Share with us in the comments section below!
IMAGE: Courtesy of The Body Reunion
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