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Crafting a cover letter can be a tough challenge for a lot people. How can you convey all the things that you want to? How will you make yourself stand out from the competition, which in today’s economy is fiercer than ever? One suggestion is to search for cover letter templates on the web to use as a template. But even then, you should have an idea of what a good cover letter looks like. The good news is that you can follow some simple dos and don’ts to help you realize what should and should not be done. Going off of this kind of basic advice, you will be able to craft your own one of a kind cover letters that will help you acquire the interview that gets you the job you always wanted.

The first “don’t” to remember when writing cover letters is don’t tell your whole life story. A cover letter should be one page maximum, unless otherwise specified. This brief page has to include all of the most important information that you want to highlight to this prospective employer. This means relevant job histories and experiences, schooling, and more. Don’t try to make conversation, don’t add filler, and don’t ramble on and on. Stick to the most important topics and you’ll gain a good reputation of being direct, while also highlighting all of your best attributes.

Another good thing to do is to tailor your cover letter as targeted as possible to the job that you’re trying to get. In other words, you shouldn’t have a one size fits all cover letter that you use for every job application. Your cover letter should highlight individual experiences that you’ve had or lessons that you’ve learned that will apply to this individual position. Talk about why this specific position gets you excited, and why you’d be a good fit.

However, while you don’t want to have a one size fits all cover letter that you send out to everyone, there’s nothing wrong with crafting a few cover letter templates that will speed up the process when you apply to several jobs. For example, maybe you are applying to three types of jobs - marketing positions, sales team positions, and lower level sales team management. You can make a basic template of a cover letter for each of these three types of positions, which talk about the experiences and skills that apply to each.

Then when you apply to a specific job, you can fill in the blanks talking specifically about why this job would be great for you, why you would want it, and why you would excel. You’ll still be writing one of a kind, highly targeted cover letters, but you’ll cut your preparation time in half by not having to rewrite it from scratch each time out.

Finally, the most critical “do” of writing cover letters is that you absolutely should brag about yourself in a non-egotistical way. This is the place to show off. Yes, keep your resume “dry”, but the cover letter is the time to inject some personality and opinion surrounding the facts. Sell yourself, and make yourself stand out as different and desirable, or else you’re just another empty piece of paper that will be thrown out.

Crafting a cover letter is not as an exact science. Still, there are a few tried and true rules that you can pay attention to. Follow these dos and don’ts and you will that much closer to writing an amazing cover letter. If you do that, your dream job will finally be in your hands.

The simple step of writing a thank you letter after an interview, either face to face or a phone interview is a skill that is not often taught by recruiters It could be the difference between getting hired or passed on by the hiring manager.

Most recruiters will go over the basics of resume writing, cover letter writing, interview prep ans even how best to discuss your salary. This is the one critical thing that can make the biggest impact is a thank you letter.
It is the one thing that sets you apart and presents you as a intelligent applicant, who follows up.

Keep in mind that most hiring managers are dealing with a ton of applicants, sometimes hundreds of resumes and cover letters. It becomes very hard to keep track of applicants while managing a ton of resumes and having multiple interviews. Staying fresh in the hiring managers mind is key.

Writing a thank you note gives you a key lead on the competition.
Some things to keep in mind in regards to a thank you note;

The thank you note should always be spell checked an re-read for grammar and flow. It should also include salutations and addresses if applicable.

The thank you letter should be no longer then 2-3 paragraphs. Start by thanking the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you and your second paragraph should list your top two skills you bring to the position and remind the manager why you feel your a good match for the position. This is also a good time to answer any vague or unanswered questions you feel you did not cover in the interview, basicly this is the place to shine after the interview. Follow this by thanking them again and let them know you are available if they should have any further questions. Make sure you list sevral ways to contact you such as your email and phone number. Close your thank you letter with a “sincerely yours” and your signature.
In keeping your thank you letter short, you respect the hiring managers time.

The difference a thank you note makes has been proven time and time again. In my experience as a recruiter, I have seen many applicants win over sometimes more qualified candidates because of a thank you note. After the interview, the candidate wrote a thank you letter that brought her name to the top of the hiring managers head when the new hire was picked.

The candidate took business cards of every person she interviewed with. Letter that day she typed out individual thank you notes and sent them off to the interviewers. They were impressed with her follow up and thoughtfulness.
Even though other applicants were more qualified, she was picked for the position because she was smart enough to write a thank you note.

Many companies will only hire candidates that send thank you letters. When you post your resume to a companies website you should also send a thank you email to any replys you recieve, knowing this important skill can set you apart and get you the job.

Access pragmatic information in the sphere of traffic to website - please read the site. The time has come when proper info is truly only one click of your mouse, use this possibility.

Immediately upon graduation, most college students start filling in job applications in hopes of securing a job interview. Prior to this, these graduates need to have an impressive graduate resume. Resume writing is an art that is best left to professional resume writers that specialize in graduate and entry level resumes. A good cover letter and an impressive resume is the first step towards being granted a job interview.

Now that you have secured an interview, you need to prepare for the tough questions that lie behind the employers? door. The majority of people considers the expected questions and prepare for these. Many rehearse the answers so that they sound confident while answering them. Practicing responses in advance keeps a check on nervousness, and you sound professional and confident. However, with the job market so competitive and so many applicants applying for the same job, employers have come up with a way to weed out applicants and let the cream rise to the top. Employers will ask questions that are difficult, make your pulse race and be tough to answer.

Tough Questions You Can Expect
Let us take a closer look at some of the tough questions you may be asked and what a likely response could be:

? You have no experience. Why should I consider you? ? You need to be persuasive. Mention your ability to overcome deficiencies. Also, mention how you increased your knowledge through education, internships and summer jobs. Perhaps explain how your ability to master new technology made your colleagues turn to you for advice. Detail how your budding management skills would have a positive impact on the organization.

? How did you resolve a conflict, if you had any, with your professor or last employer? ? You need to accept that you had disagreements with your professors or past employers that required resolution. Give specific examples of how you coped and resolved the issue without being judgmental of your professor or previous employer. To answer this question correctly, you need to show that you are able to see the other persons view in the dispute, consider all options and then act rationally. That is what the employer is looking for. The employer really does not care who was right or wrong but what is important is how you handled yourself and the situation.

? How would your professors (or last employer) describe you? ? Explain that all would agree that you were a very energetic person who always accomplished whatever task was at hand. You were dependable, creative and possessed a keen eye to apply your knowledge in a very practical sense. Inform the interviewer that you have references for his consideration to backup your comments.

? In your opinion, what are the qualities of a successful manager? ? Be brief, clear and meaningful with your answer ? as this is a true quality of an excellent manager. Some qualities you could mention are collaborative leadership, visionary planning, understanding the corporate objectives. Also, highlight how to interpret these to increase revenues and service the clientele. You can finish your response by giving an example of a person you consider to be a true leader.

? What is your greatest weakness? ? Everyone has one so never answer this question in a lame manner. Be precise and confident in expressing to the employer what you feel your greatest weakness is. Then immediately explain how your main achievement has been to recognize your greatest weakness and work on overcoming the issue.

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You have just been through a grueling interview. The questions were tough and some just seemed off-the-wall and some were rather innocent. What was the interviewer really looking for? What did s/he mean by those questions? Well, you can be certain that if you were interviewed by a seasoned interviewer, each and every question had a very distinct purpose. Listed below are some common and not-so-common questions with the potential purpose of the question.

Common questions and what the interviewer is really looking for:

Question: Tell me about yourself?
Answer: The interviewer is looking for you to talk about yourself and to reveal anything that s/he might not otherwise be able to ask. For example, do you have kids? Married? Hobbies? Interests? Single parent? Let’s say the job involves shift work, the need to be at work at 7:00 every day or the flexibility to be on call? Candidates with children are perceived to have more problems getting to work on time, miss more work because of children illnesses, school functions, etc. Is this fair? No. Is this a reality for some hiring managers? Absolutely. So what to do. Talk specifically about previous work, your desire to work, etc. The only exception would be if you know for a fact you and the hiring manager have something in common that you can use to build interest with him/her and that you would be a great fit.

Question: Tell me about the most difficult person you had to deal with?
Answer: The interviewer could care less about the most difficult person you had to deal with. What s/he is fishing for here is your ability to get along with people. Do not answer this one too quickly. Answering quickly suggests you have had to deal with a log of difficulty people which really suggests that you are the difficult one. A better approach might be to tell the interviewer that you get along with everybody and that you do not have problems with difficult people. Assuming that that statement is true, expand on your ability to pull diverse groups of people together to complete a project

Question: If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
Answer: While the obvious answer would seem to be ?this job?, you might also talk about your desire to take the next step thereby giving the interviewer the thought that you are an achiever and willing to work hard. It always amazes me how many people that I have interviewed are stumped by this question or answer it saying a surfing job.

Question: Tell me what you liked about your last job and what you disliked
Answer: Here is another one to be careful on. Do not go on about all the things you disliked. It leads the interview to think you do not like anything. Even if your last job was really, really bad, focus on the positive aspects of the job such as the things you learned, the exposure it gave you, etc. If you talk more about what you disliked, chances are you will say you dislike something that may be a critical part of the job you are applying for.

Question: Tell me about your favorite and least favorite manager
Answer: Again, this is a tricky question. If you begin to talk about the things you dislike about your previous manager, the hiring manager will believe you have a problem with authority. Focus on the things you have learned from previous managers. Also talk about how you and a previous manager disagreed on an approach and how you worked the issue out.

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, an experienced interviewing has a reason for each and every question. While the question may seem innocent enough, how you answer it could decide whether you get the job or not. Always to remember to focus on the positive aspect of your past. Focusing on the negative will give the impression that you are a negative person and probably not the best fit for the position.

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Over the years, interviewers have deployed all sorts of methods to ?weed? out candidates in an effort to determine who is best qualified for a job. A lot has changed from the days when the interviewer could ask anything s/he wanted to. With changes in laws regarding discrimination, etc, new methods were developed to pass judgment on candidates. One of those methods is called ?Behavioral Style? interviewing and the reality is you may not even know you are in this type of interview.

You may be asking yourself, ?What exactly is behavioral interviewing and why do I care?? Behavioral style interviewing is a standard method of eliciting information from a candidate about his or her relevant past behavior and performance. The key word is ?relevant?, meaning, how you performed in job situations in the past where these same situations might be in the job you are applying for. The thought process is that your past behaviors are the best indicator of future behavior. A good job interviewer will have assembled all the necessary skills required for the job and prepared a list of behavioral style questions surrounding those traits. For example, for each question, you may be asked about a situation, what you did and what the outcome was.

As an example, you may be asked ?Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.? Compare to ?Tell me how you would prioritize your tasks if you had too much to do.? Do you see the difference? In one situation you are asked very specifically what you did in a certain situation where as the other question merely asked you to describe what you might do. We all have the best intentions, so what you say you might do is not necessarily what you might actually do.

Now that we know what this style is, how do we prepare for this type of interview?

Like for any interview, you must prepare. You still need to go through the normal preparation such as understanding the company, financial information, products, culture, etc. You can get most of this from the company?s web site or 10-k filings. Since you now have the name of the hiring manger, do an internet search on him/her. Has this person been in any business/trade journals? Sometimes you can learn a lot about the person you will be interviewing with. By the way, the hiring manager can do the same thing on you. You may want to do a search on yourself. If your name is John Smith, you probably do not have anything to worry about. But if you have a very unique name, it is very easy to find out information about you.

Moving right along, the things mentioned above you must do no matter the style of interview. Now, for the behavioral style, you need to think hard. You need to come up with solid examples of your experience and how they relate to the job you are about to interview for. Think again of the three items I mentioned above, the situation, what you did and outcome. Most behavioral style questions are the same questions that have been used for years but with the wording slightly modified to elicit very specific responses from you of actual past behavioral. Go to any search engine and type in interview questions and you have your list to practice from. Remember, the interviewer is thinking that past behavioral is an indicator of future behavioral. When answering questions, do not ramble on. Be specific and to the point. There is a fine line though between being to brief and not giving enough detail to being full of hot air.

Good Luck!

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Job interviews are typically the last stage in the hiring process, used to evaluate the best candidates. Interviews are usually preceded by the evaluation of supplied r?sum?s, selecting a small number of candidates who seem to be the most desirable (shortlisting).

A company seeking to fill a single position will typically interview a handful of candidates - perhaps as many as ten if the level of application has been high. While job interviews are considered to be one of the most useful tools for evaluating potential employees, they also demand significant resources from the employer and have been demonstrated to be notoriously unreliable in identifying the optimal person for the job.

Multiple rounds of job interviews may be used where there are many candidates or the job is particularly challenging or desirable; earlier rounds may involve fewer staff from the employers and will typically be much shorter and less in-depth. A common intitial interview form is the phone interview, a job interview conducted over the telephone. This is especially common when the candidates do not live near the employer and has the advantage of keeping costs low for both sides.

Once all candidates have had job interviews, the employer typically selects the most desirable candidate and begins the negotiation of a job offer.

A typical job interview has a single candidate meeting with between one and three persons representing the employer; the potential supervisor of the employee is usually involved in the interview process. A larger interview panel will often have a specialized human resources worker. The meeting can be as short as 15 minutes; job interviews usually last less than two hours. The bulk of the job interview will be the interviewers asking the candidate questions about their history, personality, work style and other relevant factors to the job. The candidate will usually be given a chance to ask any questions at the end of the interview. The primary purpose is to assess the candidate’s suitability for the job, although the candidate will also be assessing the corporate culture and demands of the job on offer.

Lower paid and lower skilled positions tend to have much simpler job interviews than more prestigious positions; a lawyer’s job interview will be much more demanding than that of a retail cashier.

Most job interviews are formal; the larger the firm, the more formal and structured the interview will tend to be. Candidates generally dress slightly better than they will be expected to wear to work, with a suit being appropriate for a white-collar job interview, but jeans being appropriate for an interview as a plumber.

Additionally, some professions have specific types of job interviews; for performing artists, this is an audition where the emphasis is placed on the performance ability of the candidate.

Psychometric testing may also be used in job interviews.

In many countries including most of North America, Western Europe and Australasia, employment equity laws forbid discrimination based on a number of classes, such as race, gender, age, and marital status. Asking questions about these protected areas in a job interview is generally considered discriminatory, and constitutes an illegal hiring practice. Asking questions that touch on these areas, such as “Are you willing to travel/relocate?” (possibly affected by marital status) or “When did you graduate from school?” (indicative of age) is still usually possible.

There is extant data which puts in question the value of Job Interviews as a tool for selecting employees. Where the aim of a job interview is ostensibily to choose a candidate who will perform well in the job role, other methods of selection provide greater predictive power and often lower costs. Furthermore, given the unstructured approach of most interviews they often have almost no useful predictive power of employee success.

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Professional resumes and job interviews are connected. One leads to the other, if everyone is following best practices.

Professional resume help is an x/y proposition. It is good or it is bad. The prose is well written or clumsy. The style of the resume writer is clear, or opaque. If you’ve chosen an experienced professional resume writing service you should expect high quality work. Anything less may prevent the resume writer from accomplishing the goal you should expect - interviews.

Once you have a solid resume, you will begin to get interviews. If you’re working with an interview coach or any kind of job interview expert, you’ll learn that there are several kinds of job interviews. It’s not a question of good or bad in this case. But you need to understand the details in order to succeed.

Interviews can come in three varieties-behavior-based, conversational, and stress-and it can help you to spot the one you’re in as soon as possible. Of course, they can overlap, or an interview may have segments of one and then another.

Behavior-based interview: Also called competency-based interviews, these feature questions in a pre-ordained order with little opportunity for you to ask questions in return. Usually, the interviewer will let you know in advance that she is using this format. Be sure to provide examples as often as possible when responding here. These interviews focus mainly on eliciting information, and they may test your skill at negotiating clever questions.

Conversational interview: These more resemble the experience of actually working in a firm, and give the employer a greater sense of how you might fit in. They seem relatively free-form and suggest ordinary conversations-but they’re not. They give you and interviewer an opportunity to interact better and establish rapport, but they also let the interviewer circle back and ask the same questions from a different angle, to see if you are consistent or dig up more information on an important topic. Here, as with the first, the interviewer definitely has key questions he or she wants answered. Be careful of the wide-open “bio” question, where the interviewer asks you to describe your life or career. Don’t discourse at length about your early life. Instead, sum it up briefly and move on to the more important recent achievements. Studies suggest that 50 percent of interviews may be of this type.

Stress interview: In this version, the interviewer is curt and asks rapid-fire questions, an approach meant to raise your anxiety and test your ability to handle stress. It isn’t personal, so don’t swallow the bait and respond with annoyance. Instead, relax. You’re seeing through the game.

If you handle your answers well, you’ll be ready to ask your own questions. I’ve always felt that if you remember the interviewer doing a lot of the talking during an interview that the meeting was probably a good one. No one ever listened himself out of a job, as one former president said.

So if you have a chance, ask good questions of your interviewer. Then sit back and listen. It’s your turn and you’ve earned it. In my next article, I’ll focus on the kinds of questions you should ask during a job interview. This is important stuff. Said Thurber: “It’s better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.” See you next time.

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The questions you ask are usually used by the interviewer to evaluate your fitness for the job. You should research enough to be able to ask questions that are not found in obvious places such as the organization’s annual report. Find out about the job and the company when it’s your turn to ask questions. Ask the questions you prepared in advance. Feel free to ask for specifics about who you would report to and the duties involved. Be prepared to ask at least three questions in areas concerning the job, the company, the industry, external influences.

Do not ask questions that raise red flags
By asking “Is relocation a requirement?” the interviewer may assume that you do not want to relocate at all. If you do not mind relocating, try asking “I understand that most companies like their executives to spend time at their various major locations. Could you tell me how often I might be asked to relocate over five or ten years?”

Answer a question with another question
If the interviewer asks you what salary you expect, try answering by saying “That is a good question. What are you planning to pay your best candidate?”

Rehearse your interview
Role play with a friend. You should be able to convey all pertinent information about yourself in 15 minutes. Videotape the interview to identify unwanted gestures. If videotape is not available, use your telephone answering machine to record an interview: listen to your diction and speaking speed.

Avoid negative body language
One purpose of an interview is to see how well you react under pressure. Avoid these signs of nervousness and tension:

Frequently touching your mouth
Faking a cough to think about the answer to a question
Gnawing on your lip
Tight or forced smiles
Swinging your foot or leg
Folding or crossing your arms
Slouching
Picking at invisible bits of lint

Another purpose of an interview is to see how well you communicate. Remember that communication is a two-way street; you must both listen and talk. If you are talking too much, you will probably miss cues concerning what the interviewer feels is important.

Make a connection
The purpose of the interview is to see how well you might fit into the organization. Successful interviews are one that concludes as if you and the interviewer are long lost friends. Tips to make a connection include:

Be optimistic and try to make others feel comfortable
Show openness by leaning into a greeting with a firm handshake and smile. When appropriate, give examples through short, interesting, and humorous stories about yourself. Try to envision what functions you would perform that would benefit the organization and discuss those activities.

Dress properly
One component of the interviewer’s job is to make a judgment concerning your ability to fit in the organization. One factor influencing that judgment is the attire you wear for the interview. Find out about the company’s expectations for personal appearance–dress expectations, hair length, facial hair, etc.

Be on time
Most organizations look at hiring, at the entry level, prospects who will become professionals. If you are a professional, you work until the job gets done–which may be longer than 8 to 5. Being on time (or early) is usually interpreted by the interviewer as evidence of your commitment, dependability, and professionalism.

Send a “Thanks for the Interview” note
After an interview, send a thank-you note. After the final interview, time the thank-you note to arrive during the week you believe the hiring decision will be made. These notes serve as a reminder to the interviewer concerning your appropriateness for the position. You may mention a topic discussed during the interview.

When the job contact was made through the Internet or e-mail, send an e-mail thank-you note immediately after the interview. Mail a second letter timed to arrive the week before the hiring decision will be made.

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A face-to-face interview is the most stressful part of the job search for many individuals, but it is also a critical component of the recruiting process. Up until this point, you have been able to hide behind your resume and cover letter. As the selection process starts to draw to a close, though, it?s time to impress the hiring team. A large part of a successful interview is avoiding potential pitfalls that can undermine your ability to impress the hiring team.

The top ten critical mistakes that people make when interviewing for a position are:

Arriving late to the interview

Arriving late makes a strong negative first impression and will raise questions in the interviewer?s mind about your reliability and punctuality. Always ask for directions to the interview site and double-check a map so that you know where you are going. Don?t forget to allow extra time for traffic and other unforeseeable events.

Poor dress attire and grooming

Remember that professional companies are looking to hire professional individuals, not the beach bum who just shook the loose sand from his hair. Dress conservatively in a well-fitting suit and keep jewelry, makeup, and fragrances to a minimum. It?s also important to always take a shower, brush your teeth, and comb your hair before an interview as well to present to clean, polished image.

Failure to do research about the company prior to the interview

Show you are interested in the company for by doing some outside research before the interview. This attention to detail sends a clear message to the interviewer that you are serious about the position and are willing to go the extra mile. This research will also help you determine if the company?s industry, products/services, and culture are a god match for you.

Failure to give specific examples of your experience and measure your skills against the position

Interviewers want to know more than just the bare bones of your experience. They are interested in the specifics of task how you performed, challenges you have faced, and the methods you have used to overcome those challenges. This is especially true of behavioral interviewers. Take the time to give the interviewer specific examples of how you have performed and how these collaborate to the duties of the position. If you can draw a clear parallel between your work experience and the position you are interviewing for, you have a much higher chance of being successful in the interviewing process.

Not taking the opportunity to ask intelligent questions about the company and/or position

The interviewing process is not just an opportunity for the company to evaluate your fit for the position; it?s also your opportunity to evaluate how well the company and the position match your ideal job. Asking questions not only helps you determine how well-suited you are for the position (and it for you), but also clearly indicates that you have done some basic research about the organization. Don?t ask questions just for the sake of asking questions. Intelligent, poorly-worded questions can frequently do more damage to your reputation than remaining silent.

Failure to practice

Even the best public speakers need to take the time to practice delivering and answering detailed questions. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will get with your answers and the material, allowing for a much smoother delivery.

Talking too much (or not at all)

The best answers are succinct, but detailed. Interviewees who ramble on and on come across as trying to compensate for some weakness, while those individuals who just sit there and stare appear as though they are in shellshock (and maybe in over their heads). Neither of these scenarios is ideal in an interview situation. Choose your words carefully and sparingly, but don?t be a mute.

Bad-mouthing previous managers or companies

One of the fastest ways to turn off an interviewer is to bad-mouth your current or previous employer. This raises questions about your loyalty and integrity, and labels you as unhappy and a complainer. Even if you worked in a sweatshop with no lights, running water, or meal breaks for 18 hours a day, keep all negative commentary to yourself.

Fail to explain why they are a good fit for the position (and the company)

If you leave it up to the interviewer to evaluate if you are a solid fit for the company, then you risk the chance that they might not make the decision you?d like to hear. Make it easy for the interviewer for hire you by connecting your experiences, talents, and strengths to the job description.

Don?t state that you want the job

Once the interview has concluded, if you want the job, let the interviewer know that you are still interested in the position. Since the interview is as much about your evaluation of the company and the position as it is them evaluating you, don?t assume the interviewer knows you still want the job. Reiterate your interest and inquire about the next step in the hiring process.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF BODY LANGUAGE

SHAKE HANDS THE PROPER WAY

One of the first things you’ll probably do in an interview is shake hands with your interviewer. The handshake is a simple symbol of introduction. But it can also be an unspoken gauge of personality. Hiring managers say that while a limp or unenthusiastic handshake won’t destroy an interview, it can cause one to start off on a bad note. The same goes for a sweaty palm. To alleviate the latter problem, be sure to keep your hands open, not balled into fists, prior to your interview. This will reduce perspiration. Put a handkerchief or a few tissues in your pocket, just in case. Also remember that while a limp handshake is bad, a bone-breaking handshake isn’t much better. Clasp your interviewer’s hand firmly and confidently, but don’t overdo.

MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT

A lack of eye contact during an interview can lead your interviewer to think that you’re shy, disinterested, or dishonest. Likewise, shifting your eyes to and from the interviewer’s face can also send the wrong message. It’s no wonder “shifty-eyed” is a term used to describe a character who is deceitful or insincere. While you don’t want to stare at your interviewer to the point making him uncomfortable, do maintain eye contact as much as seems appropriate. If you are speaking to more than one interviewer, you can shift your gaze, but be sure to look each interviewer in the eye for at least a couple of seconds.

WATCH YOUR BODY LANGUAGE

The term “body language” includes just about any manner, gesture, or posture that conveys meaning to the observer. Body language is especially meaningful in an interview as your interviewer will be paying attention to nonverbal cues as much as to what you have to say Body language to avoid in an interview includes repeatedly crossing and uncrossing your legs or arms, fiddling with your hair or clothes, touching your face, scratching your head, or playing with a button or pen. Constant or bold gesturing is also to be avoided. Some of these mannerisms may be triggered by nervousness. Interview preparation and rehearsal may help you to feel more relaxed. Body language that might give your interview a boost includes leaning forward slightly to show your enthusiasm and nodding whenever is appropriate, particularly when your interviewer is making an important point.

SMILE WHEN YOU MEAN IT

Smiling, the universal sign of happiness, is a great way to convince your interviewer that you’re genuinely pleased to be there. On the other hand, an oversized or artificial grin used too often during the interview will lead to the opposite result. Your interviewer will know you’re forcing yourself to act a certain way.

According to Discover Magazine, when a person is sincerely amused, a part of the brain called the basal ganglia is activated, leading to the unconscious contracting of certain facial muscles. A forced smile, however, uses a different group of muscles, which is why it’s generally easy to spot a person who is legitimately pleased from one who is only pretending to be.

During an interview, be sure to smile-but only when you mean it. It’s infinitely better to smile occasionally but earnestly than to smirk constantly for no reason at all.

BE MINDFUL OF PERSONAL SPACE

Individual cultures and even individual people have different interpretations of what constitutes an appropriate amount of personal space. While one person might feel at ease speaking only inches from someone’s face, another person might need several feet of separation. When facing your interviewer, be mindful of how close you stand or sit. Try to maintain a distance of about three feet. Communicating at a closer range may cause your interviewer to feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, sitting or standing too far away is also impolite.

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