The best preparation for an interview is to practice sessions with a video camera and a friend who does not mind telling the truth. When you see yourself on tape, it is likely that your friend was amazed to discover that what you feel you are projecting is not what the other person sees. Maybe you keep rubbing the ear, or swaying from side to side, or look the other way when you're trying to make a point. Maybe your voice tones are tough. Choose one of the problems which have been identified and work on it. Once you have that control, try another. Rome was not built in a day.
Ideally, your goal is to project confidence without arrogance, competition, without defensiveness, friendship, without familiarity, reliability without stiffness and co-operation within healthy limits. Do not fall into lies and distortions, however harmless they seem. Most interviewers are experienced enough to pick up signals of body language when you lie.
Walk with feet firmly planted on the floor, stand or sit straight, shake hands firmly but not tightly. Breathing slowly and deeply will help you look calmer and quieter. When listening to the interviewer, lean slightly in his direction. Keep your knees at a comfortable distance, not outwards, or dropping rigidly tight, and keep your legs and feet still. Don't hug yourself, wring your hands or cross your arms over your chest. If eye contact is a problem, focus on another part of the interviewer's face. Remember the acronym paper: relaxed, open, supported, and eye contact.
When speaking, make the occasional gesture to emphasize a point, but do not shake hands around constantly. Keep your face relaxed and a smile when appropriate. Avoid staring into the distance or at the counter, or looking away in mid-sentence. When the interviewer is talking, listen carefully and do not mentally rehearse what you will say next. A slight nod in the important moments may indicate that you are awake and alert. People, even the interviewers assess the spotlight.
Once you have the job of your dreams, continue to use positive body language techniques at work. Screening of "I am friendly and confident, and ready to protect my limits" can save you many headaches when people feel you. If you are interested in any other work at your workplace, take your interviewer as a mentor, without slavishly copying him or her and sit next to him or her whenever possible. You can certainly learn a thing or two.
An interview with success is a skill. Continue the practice; maintain positive self-talk to help you feel like a winner instead of a victim or a loser.
