our member benefits

• 4.1: Getting started
• 4.2: Membership
• 4.3: Women returner tips
  • 4.3.1: The Return to Work Mindset
  • 4.3.2: Personal Branding for Mums
  • 4.3.3: Your career break
  • 4.3.4: Job hunting check list
  • 4.3.5: Job searches
  • 4.3.6: Recruitment agencies
  • 4.3.7: Application forms
  • 4.3.8: CV’s
  • 4.3.9: Career breaks on CVs
  • 4.3.10: Speculative applications
  • 4.3.11: Cover letters
  • 4.3.12: Enjoying the interview process
  • 4.3.13: 5 Popular Interview Questions
  • 4.3.14: Practice Interview questions
  • 4.3.15: Body Language for your interview
  • 4.3.16: Negotiating your job
  • 4.3.17: What employers want
  • 4.3.18: Family Friendly Employers
  • 4.3.19: Remote Working – The Opportunity & Benefits
  • 4.3.20: Women & Franchising - What's Stopping You
  • 4.3.21: Women & Franchising – A Successful Combination
  • 4.3.22: Settling in
• 4.4: Free Webinars
• 4.5: Workshops & Webinars
• 4.6: Consultations
• 4.8: National Career Events

Your body language speaks a 1,000 words!

Did you know that non verbal signals in face to face communications account for 55% of what people think about you. What you actually say accounts for as little as 7% and how you say it just 38%.

Take this little nugget of information and translate it into how you should approach an interview. Your body language and how you present yourself is critical to you making the right impression and securing a job.  Get that wrong and you may talk at length with knowledge and experience but that will not be enough if you’ve put the interviewer off from the start with the wrong appearance and body language.

After a career break confidence is understandably low and interview skills can be very rusty but don’t let this and nerves get the better of you. As part of your interview preparations  - researching the company, the market and the job - take time to practice some of the following body language tips.

Face a mirror and see if your face is confident and engaging. If not then ask a friend for help or give us a call to run through that all important interview practice:

To Convey Leadership

• A firm handshake
• Good eye contact but no staring!
• Sit up straight and forward to show interest
• Sit comfortably but no lounging
• No twiddling with accessories, hair, jewellery, pens etc. You want to show genuine interest not someone who is easily distracted.

To Convey Confidence (even if you don’t actually feel it)

• Steady eye contact with all people in the interview and with the person asking questions
• Relaxed and open facial expressions - no frowning even if you haven’t heard a question properly. Smile inwardly to help with this (no inane grinning though)
• If you didn’t understand or hear a question properly calmly ask for the interviewer to repeat it as you want to ensure you understood it properly
• Remember to smile at appropriate intervals during the interview to show warmth and friendliness
• Sit upright and in a friendly manner – do not fold your arms. Try to avoid crossing legs too.

To Convey Friendliness and Openess

• Lots of smiling at appropriate intervals
• Lots of nodding on points of agreement and understanding
• Face your interviewer directly so that your whole face is easily visible – you’ve got nothing to hide
• Steady and regular eye contact – to demonstrate confidence and openness
• Remember a smile is not only more pleasing for the person you are meeting but it is amazing how much more positive and confident it will make you feel than a frown – go on try it!