So, you’ve made it to an interview – congratulations! An often-overlooked part of the interview preparation process is thinking about your body language, and how this can help you come across positively and confidently to employers, and can ultimately help increase your chances of getting the job. This article will explore why good body language in an interview is important, how to utilise positive body language during the interview, and our top tips for success.
Why it’s important
As well as what you actually say, body language has a vital role in communication. In an interview setting, your non-verbal signals can demonstrate several things about you, and can significantly influence the impression you make upon the recruiter – both positive and negative. Good body language in an interview can help to build rapport with the interview panel, show them that you are confident in your abilities, engaged with the conversation, and interested and motivated in the role. However, negative body language has the potential to portray the exact opposite – you run the risk of coming across as unprofessional, unconfident and disinterested in the role. Therefore, positive body language in an interview could potentially be the key to you securing your dream job role, so it’s an important thing to consider!
During the interview
Entering the interview room
First impressions count; before you enter the interview room, take some deep breaths to help calm your nerves, and try to avoid pacing or tapping your foot. When you are called in, walk tall, and with purpose. If a handshake is offered to you, make sure yours is firm and accompanied by an appropriate level of eye contact.
Posture
During the interview, aim to sit in a posture that is upright yet relaxed. Try not to cross your arms as this can make you look defensive – instead, a good idea is to gently place your hands in front of you on the table in a natural postion, as this will help to stop you fidgeting, and convey a sense of ease and self-assurance.
Facial expressions and eye contact
Although you might feel anxious, a natural smile can help calm the nerves and ensure that you come across as positive and enthusiastic to the recruiters. It’s a good idea to maintain eye contact with the interviewers throughout the interview, when both speaking and listening, as this will help to communicate confidence. Spread your eye contact evenly between the interviewers if you can so that you do not end up staring intensely at one person for too long.
Speaking and listening
When the recruiters speak to you, show that you are actively listening to them by nodding as appropriate, and responding with facial expressions that match the tone of the conversation. Keep your hands visible and use them naturally and purposefully when speaking to help you emphasise your points – try not to be too over animated as this can be distracting for the recruiters.
Leaving the interview
At the end of the interview, although you will be naturally relieved that it is over, you still need to leave a good impression on the interview panel. Avoid rushing off too quickly, and instead stand up calmly to leave with the same calm and confident demeanour that your entered with. It might also be appropriate to shake the interviewer’s hands again and give them a warm and friendly smile to thank them for their time.
Top tips
- Practice makes perfect! Rehearse with your friends and family – they’ll be able to give you pointers on your body language and suggest how you might improve. You could always record and watch yourself practicing back too to help you refine your body language
- Breathe and stay calm – practicing deep breathing before the interview can help you to maintain your composure and control nerves
- Avoid fidgeting – although it might feel very tempting, try not to play with your hair, tap your fingers, or shift around too much in your chair – these types of gestures will immediately show that you are nervous
- Mirror the interviewer – subtly mirroring the body language of your interviewer can help build rapport
- Smile! As well as calming your nerves, a warm and genuine smile will portray a sense of ease and friendliness to the recruiters
Now you should have all you need to know in order to come across as confident and assured in an interview using your non-verbal signals. Using positive body language will help you to make a strong and lasting impression on the recruiters, which will hopefully increase your chances of securing that all-important job offer. Good luck!
Looking for more advice on how to prepare for your job interview? Check out our interview tips career advice section.
This article was written by Amy Evan-Cook.
Last updated on 16 June 2025
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