If you have a job interview coming up, writing down important ideas and planning what to say might seem enough. However, what you say (or don’t say) with your body language can be just as important, if not more.
To help you ace your next interview, we teamed up with body language expert Dr Vadim Subbotin. Apart from his work as an academic and researcher at universities including Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, he has over 20 years experience as an organizational psychologist, applying his expertise to workplace dynamics.
We asked him to explain how common gestures might be interpreted—giving do’s and don’ts to job seekers, and helping break down what your interviewer might be feeling.
Here’s a quick rundown of the key takeaways:
- Closed body language could make you seem less friendly and confident.
- Gestures and expressions around the mouth are particularly important because we look at this area of the face a lot during conversation.
- Eye contact is a delicate balance, and too much could be just as off-putting as too little.
- An interviewer who rests their head in one hand might be feeling more positive than one who rests their head in both hands.
The body: these gestures could lower your chances in your next interview
We asked Dr Vadim Subbotin to pick 5 common gestures that could let you down in a job interview. From looking bored to coming across as annoyed, these are all signals that you don’t want to be sending.
Firstly, fidgeting or tapping your fingers on the table could, unfortunately, give the impression that you are bored of the interview. It could also make you seem impatient or frustrated, if you’re fidgeting while the interviewer asks you questions, or shares information with you about the company.
Maybe even worse than looking bored, clenching your fists can make you look frustrated or even angry. Research from the American Psychological Association showed that people are most likely to clench their fists when they feel threatened, meaning that making an effort to keep your hand gestures relaxed might help set everyone at ease.
Lastly, crossing your legs when you sit is very common, but it could also be giving your interviewer the impression that you are closed-off, self-protective or even defensive. Also, folding your arms across your chest could come across the same way.
The face: covering your mouth or biting your lips = bad impression
A number of gestures Dr Subbotin recommended avoiding involve the mouth. Expressions involving movement of the lips can give away what you’re feeling in less than a second, and body language around the mouth is much the same.
Covering your mouth can be a sign that you are hiding an emotional reaction. This might be one to remember if you are asked a potentially difficult question in your interview, such as why you left your last company.
The psychologist also shared that biting your lips might suggest that you are anxious, worried or stressed, so if you want to come across as calm and collected, it might help to avoid the gesture completely.
Friendly body language can be the key (just don’t overdo it)!
But what are some of the nonverbal gestures that could help us come across the way we want to?
Here are a few examples of body language that Dr Subbotin said can make people seem more confident and relaxed:
- An open posture, when you don’t have your arms or legs crossed or covering the front of your body
- Holding your head up high
- Standing up straight with your hands at the sides
Gesturing with your hands, with your palms up, is another example of open, friendly body language. It might help you illustrate a point in a way that seems confident without being confrontational.
Research has suggested that showing confident body language may help you feel more confident too. Another study from Iowa State University found that stances where you make yourself small, or ‘contractive poses’, might even be linked to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
You should aim to keep eye contact for approximately 50% of the time while we are speaking, and 70% of the time while we are listening, according to Dr Subbotin. Too much might come across as threatening or too intense, but just the right amount gives the idea that you are interested and paying attention. People who hold eye contact while they’re speaking might be perceived as more confident and truthful.
If your interviewer’s smile doesn’t reach their eyes, they might not be impressed
It’s only natural to try and guess what the interviewer is thinking or how they feel about you. You might be meeting them for the first or second time, so they’ll naturally be harder to read than someone you know well. We asked Dr Subbotin to explain what 5 common gestures could mean, coming from your interviewer.
If they’re resting their head in one hand, the psychologist said this could indicate they’re interested in what you have to say—but both hands may be more likely to suggest tiredness or boredom.
If the interviewer you’re trying to impress is leaning towards you, this is another sign of interest. They might be feeling enthusiastic and excited about your ideas.
While smiling is usually a great sign, a smile that doesn’t reach the eyes might indicate that your interviewer’s positive reaction isn’t genuine. There could be many reasons why they might give you a polite smile rather than what’s known as a ‘Duchenne smile’ (the kind that lights up the eyes) — they might be tired after a long day of interviews. However, it could also mean that they are not blown away by your ideas.
Lastly, rapid blinking could show that the person you’re having a meeting with is uncomfortable. Studies have shown that we blink faster when we feel nervous or stressed. So if you’re not sure whether you’re hitting it off with your interviewer, and you think they might be feeling awkward or uncomfortable, this could be a sign.
Practice your body language in the mirror (even if it looks silly)
Here are a couple of top tips that Dr Subbotin shared with us on how to practice confident, friendly body language ahead of your next interview:
- Practice your pitch or speech in front of a mirror so that you can watch out for nervous gestures, and make sure that you feel well-rehearsed.
- While this next tip might make you feel a little nervous, it can be a game changer— video yourself while speaking, either to yourself or to a friend. Then, watch it back and assess what emotions you’re conveying. Think about what expressions or gestures you might change, in order to give a different impression.
Final thoughts
Dr Subbotin said that while body language can give you some great insights into how you’re coming across or what someone might be feeling, you should never take a single gesture out of context. Crossed arms could mean your interviewer is closed-off, but also they might just be cold!
Another thing to consider is that people’s body language might vary depending on a number of factors, including where they come from. So try to look at the big picture—what do their gestures, facial expressions and overall body language say, when you look at it all together?
Overall, being aware of the ways common gestures can be interpreted is a great tool that can help you present yourself the best way possible in your next interview. Confident body language, facial expressions and eye contact can help you give a great impression—and you can also use this knowledge to understand how your interviewer is feeling.
Note
Kickresume spoke to body language expert and psychology academic Dr Vadim Subbotin throughout January 2025. With a background in experimental psychology, he has previously worked as a researcher at various universities including Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. He also has 24 years of experience as a consultant and researcher in the field of organizational psychology, applying scientific theories and principles to help businesses improve their performance and relationships with employees.
About Kickresume
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