The Importance of Eye Contact During a Job Interview

Have you heard the saying – ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’? Well this is the same as your eyes. Your eyes say a lot about you; how you are feeling, if you are being honest and much more. This is why eye contact is a vital part of communication, even more so in a job interview because it shows your sincerity and honesty.

You may have told the interviewer everything that they want to hear, but if your eyes don’t tell the same story then the interviewer can easily tell that you were exaggerating or lying. Subconsciously your eyes will reflect how you are feeling – if you are nervous or unhappy for example. This means that when you lie your eyes will shift, normally to the top corner of the room, and the interviewer will pick up on this.

Your eyes can also say a lot about you – if you are a confident person or if you really want the job you are applying for. The interviewer will be able to tell by your eyes if you are confident or have the determination and drive to really succeed at the particular job. If your eyes are constantly looking down or looking around the room then the interviewer knows that you are nervous and uncomfortable. This could also show a lack of interest which could go down very bad in a job interview.

Many people feel that if they walk into an interview and say exactly what they think the interview wants to hear they will be fine – however your body has ways of telling the truth about how you really feel. Normally through your body language and eye contact, so bare this in mind when you go for a job interview.

Maintaining eye contact shows that you are confident and honest, this is the same as showing the palms of your hand instead of clenching your hands together. Another good tip is to really focus on what the interviewer is saying, nod your head slightly to show that you are following the conversation. Tilt your head slightly to the side if you are thinking for a longer period of time to show that you are taking an interest in the question and looking for the most suitable answer.

Being prepared for an interview is one thing however it is quite easy to be ‘over prepared’. Being ‘over prepared’ means that you will constantly anticipate what the interviewer is going to say or ask you and by doing this you will almost always have an instant answer. Whilst many people consider this a positive it is in fact a negative because it shows that you aren’t all that confident and that you are a little nervous and don’t want to give the ‘wrong answer’. An interviewer doesn’t want to have instant answers with very little detail or thought, they want to know who you are and get a feel for you. By taking the time to think about their questions and answer them in detail you will impress them a lot more than by rushing through the interview. Being able to answer questions on the spot is a huge positive because you can’t have an instant answer in the work place – you will have to implement and react to the situation; this is what the interviewer wants to see.

Remember to be yourself because the employer is looking for a person not a robot who says whatever they feel is best. They want a person who can fit into a team and adapt to situations. Lots of employers will employ people with better personalities than experience, so bare this in mind when approaching an interview. Be yourself and feel comfortable, the rest will come automatically!

Posted in: Tips