These Body Language Secrets Will Help You Ace That Skype Interview

All of us have faced situations where we have faked being more confident than we actually felt on the inside. And, that's perfectly normal, most of us are not smooth talkers anyway.

"By the time most of us are adults, we’ve learned to ‘mask’ our true feelings because we have no choice but to get along with others. So, we learn to hide our disappointment, anger, over-excitement, shyness and so on and learn strategies to ‘maintain face’. We pretend to be interested, we pretend to smile, or we put on a straight face when something amuses us. But being able to read body language is a gift. Why? This is largely because through leaked micro-expressions and the way a person moves his or her body represent accurate indicators of peoples’ true intentions or feelings. Sudden micro-expressions and movements are things that people cannot control on a conscious basis, and our subconscious minds are apt at picking up on these signals," says Pamela 'Puja' Kirpalani - A master NLP practitioner, trainer & neuro-coach, Founder - Inner High Living.

So, if you want to ace a Skype interview or any virtual interaction in the post-COVID world, it's a great idea to brush up on your non-verbal signals. You can use your body language to give off the 'good vibes'. 

Pamela adds, "The next few tips will help you establish a really solid first impression throughout your digital interactions. Remember, since you now do not have the luxury of shaking hands or looking at each other face-to-face, you need to work harder on keeping your digital interactions neat, friendly, succinct and most importantly- to show your trustworthiness."

So, here are her pointers to nail that virtual job interview (congratulations in advance!): 

Practice Video Calling Etiquettes

"To get here, make sure you look presentable and fresh in your calls; have minimal distraction in the background; keep yourself on mute when not speaking; and look at the camera directly to establish eye contact. However, the real power lies in the following body non-verbal communication tips which will also help you build a high level of subconscious level of trust and empathy."  

Smile...But Not Too Much

First, when you are making your point- smile lightly (not too wide) as you speak. This signals you know your point but are also comfortable and confident in articulating it across.

Head Nods

Secondly, to express your interest in the speaker nod your head when someone is making a point (as people love to appear interesting to others). And as a bonus- it really comforts the speaker and helps to build synergy and understanding between the both of you and the rest of the group.

Head Tilts 

Lastly, the slight head tilt to the side is a universal signal of attentive listening- so definitely tilt your head while someone else is speaking as this helps to show you are engaged and interested in what you have to say!