More than words – non-verbal communication
In preparing for an interview, various different aspects of your ‘presentation’ will need to be addressed. Your appearance matters a great deal and also having the right look and tone for the company you would like to work with. Research the firm and find out what the company’s dress code is – if they have one – or what would be suitable if not. Staff profile photographs are usually a good indicator of how the company likes to present its staff to the wider world. Some office-based companies are still business suit/shirt and tie types of places. But more and more smart-casual is now acceptable in most workspaces – or pyjamas and slippers, if you’re working from home. It’s not just what have you say in your interview answers – although that will need to be pertinent and knowledgeable – but also how you deliver it.
Speaking volumes
No, we’re not talking about audio books. When it comes to interviews, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. In addition to your outward appearance, your demeanour will also make a considerable impression in an interview. It’s not only the words you use, but also your tone of voice and your non-verbal communication, such as your posture. Spoken words are only 7% of the impact you make. Your non-verbal communication makes up the other 93%. This is divided between verbal (38%) and non-verbal (55%). The latter is a huge percentage, as so much of how we act defines who we are.
In most instances and situations – going into a shop to buy something, for example, or exchanging pleasantries on the street – our behaviours are normal and relaxed. But the added pressure of being in an interview can accentuate mannerisms, and what wouldn’t be noticed in everyday life becomes heightened, or even exaggerated, in the interview set-up. This can be particularly noticeable if you are fidgety, or gesticulate a lot when you speak to an unfamiliar audience when you become tense.
Build and strengthen confidence
Listen to the questions and answer them fully. Don’t try to crowbar a readymade answer in reply to an unrelated question. Try to find where points you’d like to make can be included, but also think on your feet and use your intuition, to appear yourself. If you tend to speak more quickly when you become nervous, try to address this. Practice speaking slowly, rehearse your responses to commonly-asked interview questions and generally hone your persona to become an interview-and-nerves-proof version of you. Be clear and coherent and the overall message will come across and be easy to understand.
Make sure not to talk yourself up cul-de-sacs and lose your train of thought. You need to ‘know your stuff’, but you also need to portray the right image for the job you are applying for. Practice of course makes perfect, so the more rehearsals you can have – using friends and colleagues as interviewer stand-ins – the more ‘unrehearsed’ your actual presentation will be when it comes to the real thing. If you think your presentation may benefit from some professional support, our full outplacement programme includes support on this as part of the package. Our coaches can provide the experience and guidance you need to improve your confidence and presence, to ensure your non-verbal communication matches your suitability and skills.
