SOMETIMES, in spite of your technical knowledge, your interviewers may be quite unimpressed. This could leave you wondering where you are going wrong. After all, if you have the knowledge, it should be quite enough, isn't it?

However, more often that not a diffident body language can prove quite the deciding factor during interviews. Welcome to a new, unspoken language, with a vocabulary that you instinctively read and respond to, that you use sometimes deliberately and sometimes unknowingly, to signal your intentions to those around.

What Exactly Is Body Language?

Body Language (BL) is essentially about the use of:

Eye Contact	To signal interest, trust, integrity, attentiveness
Facial Expressions	To convey a gamut of mind-states like happiness, surprise, scepticism, or disappointment
Posture	To indicate attentiveness or ease, anxiety or a relaxed mental frame
Gestures	To display a range of messages including open-mindedness, conviction, confidence, caution or ambiguity
Touch	To show camaraderie, encouragement, support or friendliness
"Space bubble" (i.e. the comfortable distance that we like to maintain around ourselves, while interacting with others)	To indicate our level of comfort with those around

Ideal Body Language for an Interview

Remember, your body language mirrors your mind, posture and gestures, thus reflecting your state of mind. It is great to walk in with a smile, maintain eye contact and offer a firm handshake.

To Shake or Not to Shake

Whether you initiate a handshake or not depends on:

Country and Culture

Urban India is increasingly veering towards the handshake. Some states however continue to use the age-old Namaste.

Are you applying for a job whose headquarters are in USA or Australia? Brisk and brief handshakes are the order of the day. Interviewing with potential employers from France? Expect a gentler but longer handshake.

Age

Most women under the 35-40 age group prefer handshakes to convey assertiveness.

Job Profile

Interviewing for a Public Relations post with a multinational bank? Firm handshakes are called for. Applying to a Public Sector Unit or a government enterprise? You may find smiling namastes are more appropriate.