Page 73 - 101 Dynamite Answers to Interview Questions

66 Nail the Job Interview!

on the other side of a desk or table. Alternatively, you may be
invited to sit on a sofa. Whatever the case, don’t look like you are
in a hurry by talcing a seat before you are invited to sit. Chances are
you will be seated within six feet of the interviewer - a comfortable
conversational distance for maintaining good eye contact.

27. Keep your hands, arms, and elbows to yourself.

If you are sitting at a desk, keep your hands, arms, and elbows off
the desk and away from any distracting items such as pencils or
pens. Try to look alert, energetic, and focused on the interviewer
rather than fidget with items that indicate your nervousness or
irritating habits. If you don’t laow what to do with your hands, try
folding or steepling them.

28. Sit erect and lean slightly forward.

Avoid leaning back in your chair or on the sofa loolcing extremely
comfortable and relaxed. Such posture may communicate that you
are more interested in tallcing about yourself than in listening to
and learning from the interviewer. The best sitting posture is to sit
erect and lean slightly forward toward the interviewer folding or
steepling your hands. This is good listening posture. Nonverbally
it communicates that you are interested in the individual. You will
look more alert and energetic in this posture than in other postures.

29. Keep your feet on the floor.

If you are sitting on a sofa where your full body is in view, avoid
crossing your legs and showing the soles of your shoes. Keep both
feet on the floor. Crossed legs still indicate a degree of informality
and familiarity that is unwarranted at this point in your relation-
ship with the interviewer.

30. Let the interviewer initiate the openers but take initia-
tive in offering some of your own openers.

It is the responsibility of the interviewer to initiate openers. During
the first two or three minutes the interviewer will probably talk