worst body language mistakes job seekers make

Body language expert Tonya Reiman, author of The Power of Body Language, previously told Business Insider that job candidates should make sure they offer the appropriate amount of eye contact If you dont, the interviewer will assume you are either insecure, dont have an appropriate answer for the question being asked, or are being deceptive Does that mean its true? No, but perception is everything in a job interview

Reiman said smiling demonstrates confidence, openness, warmth, and energy It also sets off the mirror neurons in your listener, instructing them to smile back Without the smile, an individual is often seen as grim or aloof, she explained

This may give the interviewer the impression that youre bored or uninterested in the conversation Instead, keep your hands on the desk or table, and dont fidget In their book Crazy Good Interviewing, John B Molidor, PhD, and Barbara Parus suggest showing your palms during an interview since the gesture indicates sincerity or pressing the fingertips of your hands together to form a church steeple which displays confidence, reports Business Insiders Shana Lebowitz

Reiman previously told Business Insider you should always be aware of your posture People dont realize that the job interview begins in the waiting room, but it does So dont slouch in the chair in the reception area, she advised In order to be perceived as confident, you must sit or stand tall, with your neck elongated, ears and shoulders aligned, and chest slightly protruding This position changes the chemicals in our brain to make us feel stronger and more confident, and it gives the outward appearance of credibility, strength, and vitality, she explained

Fidgeting too much in their seats

This gesture will tell the interviewer youre not comfortable or youre closed off You should always keep your hands in view when you are talking, Patti Wood, a body language expert and author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions Body Language and Charisma, previously told Business Insider When a listener cant see your hands, they wonder what you are hiding To look honest and credible, keep your arms uncrossed and show your hands

When we touch our faces or hair, it is because we need self soothing,Reiman explained Is that the message you want to send to your interviewer

A weak handshake may tell the interviewer that youre nervous, shy, and that you lack confidence, explains Colin Shaw, CEO of Beyond Philosophy, a customer experience consultancy, in a LinkedIn post Ideally, your handshake should be firm, but not overbearing The secret to a great handshake is palm-to-palm contact, Wood told Business Insider You want to slide your hand down into the web of theirs, and make palm-to-palm contact Lock thumbs, and apply an equal amount of pressure

Its okay to use your hands to illustrate a few important points, writes Lebowitz In fact, research suggests that staying too still can give the impression of coldness But relying too much on hand gestures can be distracting, according to Molidor and Parus She says you should remember youre in a job interview, not a theater audition

People tend to show their dominating personality by gripping the interviewers hand and palming it down, but this tells the interviewer that you need to feel powerful, Reiman explained Instead, the handshake should be more natural: thumbs in the upward position and two to three pumps up and down As the applicant, you should always wait for the interviewer to extend their hand first, she added