In several WorkPuzzle discussions over the last few months, we’ve talked about the importance of “perception of fit” in the recruiting process.
If candidates begin to feel like they’re a fit on your team (before they’re hired), they’ll often rationalize their way around obstacles hindering their decision to change careers.
If candidates don’t feel this sense of fit early in the hiring process, it becomes an uphill battle that rarely ends in a hire.
How do you help your candidates experience a “perception of fit” during your interviews? One way is by being aware of your body language and managing it for maximum engagement.
Travis Bradberry, author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, recently wrote an article on the importance of body language in day-to-day business interactions. He suggests poor body language is one of the signs of low emotional intelligence.
Here are some of the most common mistakes Dr. Bradberry observes:
Slouching. This is a sign of disrespect. It communicates that you’re bored and have no desire to be where you are…. Maintaining good posture commands respect and promotes engagement from both ends of the conversation.
Exaggerated Gestures. This can imply that you’re stretching the truth. Aim for small, controlled gestures to indicate leadership and confidence, and open gestures—like spreading your arms apart or showing the palms of your hands—to communicate that you have nothing to hide.
Watching the Clock. This is a clear sign of disrespect, impatience, and inflated ego. It sends the message that you have better things to do than talk to the person you’re with, and that you’re anxious to leave them.
Crossed Arms/Crossed Legs. To some degree, these gestures are physical barriers that suggest you’re not open to what the other person is saying. Even if folding your arms feels comfortable, resist the urge to do so if you want people to see you as open-minded and interested in what they have to say.
Fidgeting With/ Fixing your Hair. This signals that you’re anxious, over-energized, self-conscious, and distracted. People will perceive you as overly concerned with your physical appearance and not concerned [with what the person is saying].
Avoiding Eye Contact. This makes it look like you have something to hide, and that arouses suspicion. Lack of eye contact can also indicate a lack of confidence and interest, which you never want to communicate in a business setting.
Looking down as you talk makes it seem like you lack confidence or are self-conscious, causing your words to lose their effect. It’s especially important to keep your eyes level if you’re making complicated or important points.
Inconsistency Between Your Words and Your Facial Expressions. This disconnect causes people to sense that something isn’t right and they begin to suspect that you’re trying to deceive them, even if they don’t know exactly why or how.
For example, a nervous smile while rejecting an offer during a negotiation won’t help you get what you want; it will just make the other person feel uneasy about working with you because they’ll assume that you’re up to something.
This is just half of Dr. Bradberry’s list (the seven ideas I found most helpful). You may want to check out the rest of the list if you feel like you struggle in this area.
The reason candidates disengage during the recruiting process is often quite subtle. The more variables you can control, the better your chances of creating a “perception of fit” that will attract candidates to your team.
As an added bonus, increasing your emotional intelligence is correlated to many other career benefits. You’ll not only recruit better, you’ll perform better in other aspects of your job at the same time.
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