8 Quick Interview Tips To Boost Your Chances At Job Interviews

Winning at job interviews is all about having the right strategic approach and following that approach relentlessly till you get the job you want. At the same time, there are several useful interview tips you should remember and implement during and before the actual meeting with your prospective employers.

Here are 8 quick tips relating to body language that are sure to help you at any employment interview. Many people violate these guidelines knowingly or otherwise and thus ruin their chances of success despite being an excellent candidate for the position.

1. Use words to respond to questions, not head or hand movements. It does not speak highly of you if you merely nod or shake your head when the interview asks you a question, even if that question has a simple yes or no answer.

2. Avoid sitting there with your arms crossed across your chest. Some folks make the mistake of crossing not just their arms, but their legs as well! If you do this, you convey the impression that for some reason, you are being aloof or stand-offish. Not a good idea at all.

3. Do not use overly expressive hand gestures (or exaggerated head movements) while answering questions. It lacks refinement (in most situations anyway) and is highly distracting.  

4. Don't act in a fidgety manner when listening to or answering questions. Doing so may signal lack of confidence.

5. Avoid shrugging your shoulders when you get hit with a question you think you don't know how to respond to. First of all, take a moment to think about the question and possible answers to it. Even if you must say “I don't know”, do so verbally and not with a shoulder shurg.

6. This shouldn't even be there on this list, but at job interviews, don't yawn! Put another way, make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before the interview. Yawning is an expression of boredom or maybe even disrespect. Don't do it.

7. Some  people have the habit of biting their lips when they are not saying anything. This  is a big no-no, obviously. It can convey the thought that you are being less than truthful and are making something up.

8. Remember to smile! A sincere smile does wonders for establishing rapport and putting both yourself and the interviewers at ease. Be sure to maintain eye contact when you smile and also as appropriate during the interview.

Do keep these simple – yet often violated – interview tips in mind. You are sure to boost your chances of success at your next job interview.