By Natalie Page
Interviewing can be a trying and stressful process. Body language and nonverbal communication are major factors that can make or break an interview. Amy Bramlett of the UA Career Center outlined several do’s, don’ts as well as things to practice to help land that dream job or internship.
“I regularly coach students to ‘study’ for their interviews so that they can focus on nonverbal communication during the interview,” said Bramlett, who is manager of student services and diversity outreach. “Students are very familiar with studying for exams but don’t often think of an interview as a situation they would need to study for. However, when you’ve gone through and practiced, you feel less ‘on the spot’ and taken aback by questions that may be asked of you.”
Do’s
- Practice for interviews so you can focus on your nonverbal communication.
- Match the emotions of your face to what is being discussed. If the potential employer is talking about opportunities in the company, look eager.
- Read the nonverbals of others to play off of them throughout the interview. If the interviewer is being open, be open yourself.
Don’ts
- Don’t sound rehearsed; the person interviewing you will know.
- Don’t cross your arms and be closed off in your body language, it will close off the interviewer as well.
- Don’t make your nonverbals distracting by moving your hands a lot while you’re talking.
Things to Practice to Gain Confidence
- A firm handshake.
- Strong eye contact.
- Upright posture.
Bramlett also provided feedback she has received from potential employers about UA students during their interviews.
“Employers are always very complimentary of our students’ attire, which, if you are about it, tells you a lot about how a job candidate will interact and be perceived by customers.” Amy Bramlett, manager of student services and diversity outreach, UA Career Center
Other feedback includes attentiveness throughout the interview process by being engaged with the interviewer. Also, students should be diligent with following up with companies after interviews.
For more information and tools to better prepare for the interview process, go to The UA Career Center.