If you’ve ever had your golf swing videotaped, you know it’s not as pretty as you might have imagined. Your body, with the help of the subconscious mind, can do some pretty weird things.

None of us are immune. Weekend duffers, low handicappers, even the Mike Weirs of the world develop poor habits, mannerisms that arise and are magnified under stress.

The same holds true in job interviews. Under pressure, job applicants can slip into little non-verbal actions – such as tapping their fingers on a desk, or averting eye contact – which can detract from, or ruin the interview.

Robert Half Management Resources recently released a tidy list of eight common interview pitfalls made by the thousands of financial professionals it helps place in project or contract work.

Those mannerisms include: A weak handshake; avoiding eye contact; crossing your arms; invading the interviewer’s space; making tense facial expressions; nodding persistently; overusing hand motions; and tapping your fingers or feet.

Cliff Kanto, branch manager consulting services with Robert Half’s Vancouver office, says even polished business people can slip up. To avoid this, just like a golf lesson, people need to have these flaws pointed out and then develop a routine to eliminate them.

“If you are serious about making an improvement in your interviewing techniques, do a mock interview with a friend, your cat, your dog,” Kanto says.

“And if possible, videotape it. If you’ve ever taken a golf lesson or any kind of lesson, you know that videotaping points out things you just didn’t believe were happening.”

Terry Stein

Terry Stein, Kanto’s counterpart in Calgary, agrees.

“I was in an interview recently and halfway through it the interviewer began asking the consultant (job applicant) tougher questions,” Stein says. “The consultant had a pen in hand and started tapping it on the desk, then started clicking the pen in and out. The consultant had no idea it was happening.”

In their role of matching employers and job applicants, Stein and Kanto sit in on interviews. They prepare applicants for the questions they can expect, the environment the interview will be conducted in (i.e. formal, or more relaxed), and their attire. As they prepare job applicants, Stein and Kanto will also tell them of any non- verbal flaws they’ve noticed.

For example, when asked a difficult question, some job applicants fold their arms across their chest. It’s a gesture that can be perceived as a defensive posture.

“At the end of the day you get individuals who are extremely well polished. They may have an ability to articulate themselves and carry themselves extremely well . . . so some of these things (flaws) have less of an impact,” Stein says.

But if a little flaw does become distracting to an interviewer, it lessens the message the job applicant is trying to send.

Typically, Stein and Kanto deal with financial professionals. They’re people who have either been downsized after five to 15 years with a company, or decided to hang out their shingle as consultants. Their interview skills vary greatly.

“When we do point out some of the non-verbal cues that they may be sending out, they usually say, ‘I had no idea I was doing that,’ ” Stein says.

On a personal note, Stein says he has to work on his own weakness. His face muscles sometimes stiffen when he makes presentations and he doesn’t smile much in those situations.

“I’m so focused on the goal at hand that sometimes I don’t take the time to relax and enjoy the moment,” Stein says. “People say, ‘You’re such a serious person,’ but when they get to know me they see I’m very easy-going.”

Some flaws are easier to fix. Others are not, Kanto says. A job applicant can quickly fix a “dead fish” handshake, but the ability to maintain eye contact can be more difficult.

“The weaker individuals don’t tend to hold eye contact very well,” Kanto says. “You will see people stare off to the left or right, or out the window. Eye contact is tougher because it tends to go back to the individual’s confidence level.”

He’s also a big believer in the ability to “mirror” the visual cues of the other person. For example, if the person leans back, you lean back. If the interviewer speaks slowly, you talk slowly.

While some people are naturals in the interview process, he suggests that most of us would benefit by simple practice. The more you work at it, the smoother the process becomes, says Kanto, who likes the analogy of athletes improving their games by practice and repetition.

“If you’ve ever taken a golf lesson, you know it messes you up more initially than it fixes you up,” he says. “It takes a while to incorporate those changes.”

Canada’s Mike Weir would agree.

He won the Masters at Augusta nearly a year ago and he credited the victory in part to a routine.

The routine prevented him from lapsing subconsciously into flaws that previously prevented him from achieving his goals.

It’s good insight. And any way you slice it, the principle holds true for interviews.

NON-VERBAL PITFALLS

* A weak handshake: Many hiring managers believe if your handshake is weak, you may have a personality to match. A firm, quick grip conveys self-confidence and professionalism.

* Avoiding eye contact: It’s tempting to look elsewhere, but use eye contact when speaking to the interviewer. Guard against staring by occasionally redirecting your glance.

* Crossing your arms: Intentional or not, it tells interviewers you are on the defensive – and it may have the same effect on them. Keep your arms open and to the side, or loosely fold your hands in your lap.

* Invading the interviewer’s space: By leaning forward in your seat, you may be moving out of the comfort zone between you and the interviewer. Sit upright and be relaxed.

* Making tense facial expressions: Try to sense when your facial muscles are tightening, and smile when appropriate.

* Nodding persistently: Nod as a natural response when you strongly agree on ideas or opinions the hiring manager has
presented.
n Overusing hand motions: Gestures can help emphasize
important points, but too much movement is distracting.

* Tapping your fingers or feet: It may be a nervous habit, but these actions will give the hiring manager the impression that you are anxious to end the interview. Instead, focus your energy on the interview.

– Source: Robert Half Management Resources

Web watch:
www.roberthalfmr.com