The Power of the Silent Conversation

Job Interview? Get an Unfair Advantage – See What Employers See

by Debbie Silverman

Did you know you have about 7 seconds to make a great first impression?

"Within those 7 seconds, a potential employer will size you up to see if you "fit" in their club or organization" says, Debbie Silverman, creator and co-author of the bestselling book, "It's Just a Conversation – What to Say and How to Say It in Business." 

"We've all heard the expression, 'actions speak louder than words.' This is true in interviews and in our everyday conversations" says Debbie.

"We tend to think our words are the most important part of an interview. The truth is, our words are the least important part of the conversation. In terms of importance, words make up 7%, tonality is 38% and body language/facial expressions and gestures make up 55%" says Debbie.

According to Indeed, an online recruiting company that offers free services to job seekers, employers pay a lot of attention to body language.  In fact, when interviewing candidates for a job, interviewers are told to look at the candidate's body language, facial expressions and gestures to get an idea of confidence, trustworthiness and to see how someone responds to situations under pressure.  

Reading Body Language in Interviews: The Top 5 Things Employers Look for

1. Eye Contact – Eye contact generally shows confidence and comfort as well as a willingness to engage the interviewer. While some people may try to make eye contact on purpose during an interview, regular eye contact is a natural way for many people to connect with others.
2. Facial Expression – a smile shows confidence and interest in the job.  People's facial expressions offer a great way to interpret how they feel about a question or situation. Note to self, remember to smile even when I'm having a phone interview. 
3. Handshakes– Before Covid-19 most people greeted one another with a handshake in a professional setting. The strength of someone's handshake can indicate their confidence or nervousness. Don't lose site of the handshake. We will get back to that someday soon.
4. Gestures: Many people make gestures with their hands when talking in order to engage with others and emphasize their most important point. Some gesturing can show that someone is a confident speaker, while excessive hand motions may be perceived as erratic or unprofessional.
5. Posture: A candidate's posture can show their focus and interest in a position. Candidates who are interested in a job will likely put in the effort to sit up straight with an open posture that faces the interviewer.

The Silent Conversation is a powerful tool to know. If you want to get more in life learn to speak body!

Debbie Silverman is a Human Behavior Specialist; President of Consumer-Perspective LLC, a consumer research company; two-time Effie Award-Winner for Marketing Excellence; and NLP Practitioner.  She is the creator and co-author of the Award Winning Amazon #1 Best-Seller, It's Just a Conversation – What to Say and How to Say It in Business; and the author of the newly released book, "Protecting the Rabbit Ears Generation."

With 30+ years' experience helping clients successfully grow brands and businesses, Debbie uses her unique strategic engagement techniques to raise the bar on how businesses communicate with their customers and create RAVING FANS!  

Debbie will be presenting a Zoom Workshop on The Power of the Silent Conversation on Saturday, October 17, 2020 for Dress for Success Palm Beaches.

Book and Kindle versions available on Amazon

Source: wemagazineforwomen.com