When it comes to job interviews, your body language can be just as crucial, and as communicative, as your resume.
According to Benjamin Granger, chief workplace psychologist at software company Qualtrics, your posture, expression and behavior are key to making a good first impression.
“When we meet somebody for the first time, what we don’t realize fully is that our brains are at work,” he says. “They are looking at the person’s face, they’re looking at the person’s body, they’re looking at how open or closed off they are.”
Subconsciously, those nonverbal cues influence your perception of that person, Granger says.
Granger shares more body language tips in Smarter by CNBC Make It’s course, How to Ace Your Job Interview. Here are four of his top pointers to bring your best self to a job interview.
Start with a smile
This tip may sound obvious, but “it’s amazing what a simple smile can do” to build goodwill with your interviewer, Granger says.
Whether you realize it or not, most people can actually tell whether your smile is authentic or forced, he says.
According to Granger, a “real, genuine smile” causes small wrinkles at the edges of your eyes.
“If you ever see somebody who has a lot of wrinkles there, it might be a good tip that that’s a genuine person,” he says.
Open up your posture
Posture is another crucial communication tool, Granger says.
To make a good impression at a job interview, Granger recommends sitting in an “open body posture” with your shoulders back and hands separated. That body language communicates to your interviewer that you are engaged in the conversation, he says.
When it comes to job interviews, your body language can be just as crucial, and as communicative, as your resume.
According to Benjamin Granger, chief workplace psychologist at software company Qualtrics, your posture, expression and behavior are key to making a good first impression.
“When we meet somebody for the first time, what we don’t realize fully is that our brains are at work,” he says. “They are looking at the person’s face, they’re looking at the person’s body, they’re looking at how open or closed off they are.”
Subconsciously, those nonverbal cues influence your perception of that person, Granger says.
Granger shares more body language tips in Smarter by CNBC Make It’s course, How to Ace Your Job Interview. Here are four of his top pointers to bring your best self to a job interview.
Start with a smile
This tip may sound obvious, but “it’s amazing what a simple smile can do” to build goodwill with your interviewer, Granger says.
Whether you realize it or not, most people can actually tell whether your smile is authentic or forced, he says.
According to Granger, a “real, genuine smile” causes small wrinkles at the edges of your eyes.
“If you ever see somebody who has a lot of wrinkles there, it might be a good tip that that’s a genuine person,” he says.
Open up your posture
Posture is another crucial communication tool, Granger says.
To make a good impression at a job interview, Granger recommends sitting in an “open body posture” with your shoulders back and hands separated. That body language communicates to your interviewer that you are engaged in the conversation, he says.