10 Body Language Clues And What They Imply In A Candidate

As a hiring manager, once you’ve got a candidate to the interview stage, you’ve likely spotted something unique about them. But, once they come walking in or you spot them in reception, you would like to skip over the old adage that looks can be deceiving. 

So, below I have broken down a list of 10 body language clues that are most relevant to you as a hiring manager or interviewer, as well as some common misconceptions.

How do you read a candidate’s body language in an interview? The ideal way to read a candidate’s body language is by observing them when you are not present. As well as, looking for certain tells when you are asking them questions. The last thing you want to do is make the wrong hire, and cost your client or company money.

This all too often happens in technical fields, where you don’t necessarily know how to perform the role yourself. Also, many misconceptions have built up in the study of reading body language. To help dispel the myths, read on to discover my 10 body language clues and what they imply in a candidate.

1. Crossing the arms

If a person crosses their arms many people think it is a behavior that indicates non-interest. But, in reality, it is a self-soothing behavior according to FBI agent Joe Navarro. Basically, it is a self hug. If you think about it, you probably do it when you’re alone at home while watching television, or at the movie theatre. 

He also claims that research has shown that a person is more likely to cross their arms when out in public than alone. So, don’t believe the old wives tale that if your candidate is crossing their arms that they aren’t interested in what you are saying.

2. Smiling

Every good self-help book on how to be successful talks about the importance of smiling, and giving a firm handshake. This is a trait of successful people. But, take note of how often your candidate smiles during an interview, and what they frown about. 

When they frown it indicates they have some concerns either with the information you are talking about, the way you are phrasing the question, or because you insulted them somehow. This is why it is important to jot down when it occurs so you can see if you can figure out a pattern. 

On the other hand, a person who is interested in being successful will either smile naturally because they are happy and content. Or, because they know it is a trait of successful people. If a person does not smile at all or very little during the interview and as they interact, then you can guess that they are probably not a person you want to hire and will be a burden on your company.

3. Talking speed

This is a tricky one because intelligent people will talk fast because they know there is a lot of information to cover for a particular question. Web developers, programmers, and similar tech professionals have analytical minds and have a strongly developed introverted side. As a result, their mind moves very very fast and they can think things through quickly. 

As a result, they often talk as fast as their brain gives them ideas without actually thinking about it. This indicates someone who will actually be a good asset to the company because they are intelligent. But, if they talk slow this could be good too because it means they are calm and confident and won’t be pushed around into giving too elaborate an answer to a complex question.

Talking speed is not the easiest to decipher, so you will need to use your judgment if the interviewee is talking fast because they are intelligent or just rambling on. Use the same judgment to determine if the interviewee is talking slowly because they are being deliberate or because they are actually just generally slow.

4. Shuffling in their chair

If the interviewee shuffles in their chair, it often is a sign of discomfort. It can be because of the question you ask them, or because of their unfamiliarity with the environment and interview process. The type of candidate you are interviewing can impact how they feel in an interview. 

Some people don’t enjoy interviews and so the whole process makes them uncomfortable. That will make them shuffle in their chair and move around a lot. For example, if the person hasn’t had that many job interviews in the past then they will feel more uncomfortable being interviewed. 

If they shuffle to the point of getting frustrated then it could be a sign that they have a hot temper, which may or may not be desirable for the role.

In contrast, if you are interviewing salespeople for a sales role, for example, your interviewees should have experience interacting with strangers on a daily basis and they shouldn’t feel uncomfortable with tough questions. If they are, then it probably means that they don’t have the experience they say they do.

5. Posture

With the availability of the internet, information on body language has become widespread. Any quality candidate will have looked up ways to improve their success in interviews, and posture is one of the key areas talked about in the literature about successful interviewing. 

So, most candidates will fake it. This might seem negative but, it shows that they have done their research and are willing to go the extra mile to get the job. Both are good signs. However, this still begs the question of how to read posture. In general, instead of trying to read posture, try to notice changes or corrections in posture.

Imagine the candidate with poor posture and is slouching, then has a moment of clarity and sits back upright. This is a clue that your candidate is willing to learn and improve. Which are both qualities of a quality hire. If they slouch and drag their feet without being aware of it, it shows a lack of body awareness which is indicative of other traits such as a lack of empathy and social perceptiveness.

6. The hair

A person’s hairstyle says a lot about them. If their hair is too perfect and they use too much product, it could mean that they likely spend too much time on it, and neglect other areas of their life. In the workplace, this could translate into making things perfect but neglecting other areas of work. 

In contrast, their hair is generally tidy but not overly done, this is a good sign because it shows that they put some attention into their appearance. Also, it shows that they just go with what they have and aren’t overly obsessed with perfection to the point of missing deadlines. 

Similarly, if it is unkempt or no care has been taken at all, they have major issues, and they probably are the last candidate you want for the role. 

These points should also be balanced with whether the role interviewed for is client-facing or not. If the job holder works in a place where they will be seen by clients and customers. Then how they style their hair should be in-line with the general idea of being neat and tidy. Else, the appearance of their hair would be less important.

According to Powerofpositivity.com different hairstyles are interpreted by others to have certain characteristics. Although these interpretations aren’t always true, because these interpretations are projected onto them, people will end up generally living up to the expectations of others. The two more significant types of hair are:

• Curly and wavy hair. Curly hair is indicative of a fun and happy person who gets things done faster than others. They are more creative and have right-brained ideas. They are also often more physically active and outdoorsy. 
• Straight hair. People with straight hair are interpreted as having a more refined personality. They like order in their lives and work in a more elegant and calm manner.
• Bald. People with completely no head hair, due to their heads being shaved, are interpreted as being more confident and dominant. 

It is important to notice your own biases and interpretations when interviewing people with different types of hair. It would be best not to let these interpretations cloud your judgement of whether someone can do the job or not.

7. Their Overall Demeanor

While not precisely body language, general demeanor is a reliable indicator of how your interviewee will perform at their new role, and how well they will be liked. 

We’ve all come across people who have some sort of personality disorder where they are too aggressive sometimes yet nice when they need to be. Leaving you feeling uncomfortable around them. This is the trait of a manipulative person, sotake note of how you feel internally around your interviewee. If they get really touchy or aggressive about a certain subject then they will likely get touchy or aggressive when facing work related to this subject. They could end up scaring or alienating their work team members, which in turn will harm the work environment, and diminish productivity.

You want people who have a calm and laid back demeanor for most roles. You can even look for opportunities to put it to the test by acting rude or insulting to see how they will behave. You could try talking over them before they have finished, or getting in their personal space. If they respond to your test in a negative way, as mentioned above, you probably do not want to hire them.

8. Eye contact

Most self-help books, and information regarding having a successful job interview talk about the importance of eye contact. Such as that provided by Chron.com.

Eye contact is a sign of confidence, physical or otherwise. This confidence could be faked, but there are very few ways to fake authentic eye contact.

When talking with the interviewee face to face take note of how their eye contact makes you feel. Some people will give up when you challenge them with eye contact, others will meet it with enthusiasm. 

Some interviewees use the wrong amount of eye contact; Either too much, to the point of staring, or too little, such as looking away while speaking to you.   Too much eye contact could mean that they are trying to force their will on you, or could mean that they lack empathy and understanding of others. Too little eye contact could, at best, mean that they are just nervous about the interview, or at worse, mean that they are nervous at just about everything. You will be able to pick it up on these signs, especially if you start to feel uncomfortable about the level of eye contact. Either way, it will be a red flag.

Note that eye contact also depends on cultural background and what the interviewee is used to. In certain cultures, it is rude to make eye contact with people who are considered one’s superiors. Yet in other cultures, eye contact is given freely regardless of the context.

9. Gestures

Common gestures are:

Touching the nose, face and hair

Although many people think this is a sign of nervousness or deception. It is actually a behavior people do to comfort themselves. Similar to stroking another person gently, it calms themselves and makes them feel cared for.

Motions with their hands

Some people are expressive with their hands. It helps them to explain their ideas. Often they do it without thinking. They will make motions with their hands to mirror how they conceptualize a concept. 

For example, if they are explaining the way a user will go through a website they will make gestures for each of the pages, and where they click. It generally means the person is a visual thinker and is good at breaking down complex topics into manageable chunks.

Tapping on a table

Top salespeople do this. It indicates they are comfortable and in control of the conversation. They generally do it when they are making a strong sales move such as asking for the close. It is the sign of a confident person who is congruent with what they are explaining. 

This is rare in an interview situation where generally you are the one asking them questions. But, you may run into this towards the end of the interview.

Of course, we are talking about a few taps. Someone who repeatedly taps to the point where it starts to get annoying probably has a lack of social awareness or empathy.

Up and down movement of the knees 

Some people will do this to loosen up their legs, after sitting for a while. Others do this to ground themselves in their body as a way to stay calm. If they do it all the time, it is the sign of nervousness or a lack of empathy. Keep an eye out of this and make a note of it, if it comes to your attention.

10. Depth of breath

People by and large don’t breathe correctly. As a result, they take short sips of air, and it affects their tone of voice and emotions. This is exacerbated by the nervousness of being asked challenging questions by an interviewer. 

A self-aware person, however, will be aware of their breathing, and consciously correct it from time to time during the interview. Because they are aware of themselves, they are more aware of others, and as a result, have more empathy. This is a good characteristic for a potential hire, and where you observe this, it should be noted.

What they don’t want you to know about a candidates body language

Body language reading is more of an art than an exact science. It takes some amount of practice and experience to read an interviewee’s body language.

Body language can only go so far in helping you read general positive signs in a candidate. You will still have to see if their body language is aligned and congruent with what they are saying. However, body language can really help identify red flags in an interviewee. These red flags will be easier to spot and you will probably get a gut feel for it even without being able to explain why.

Most importantly, be careful not to misread the interviewee. As explained by all the points above. Overthinking body language and assigning interpretations and meaning where there is none is counterproductive to your recruitment efforts.

At the same time, remember that body language can be faked, and you also be tricked into believing something about the candidate. You could falsely believe a candidate is better than they appear. However, if you do successfully spot a candidate faking body language, that is yet enough red flag.

Lastly, keep in mind that the way a person is behaving is in response to how you are behaving. If you feel nervous, the candidate will also feel nervous. So, try to make yourself feel at ease, and be in a calm and welcoming mood before the interview.

Conclusion

To read a clients body language during an interview, you want to observe certain static and dynamic things about them. Static features are their hair and dress. Whereas dynamic features are:

• Whether they cross their arms
• Shuffle in their chair
• Their posture
• Overall Demeanor
• Eye contact
• Gestures
• Depth of breath

Sources

• Former FBI Agent Explains How to Read Body Language | Tradecraft | WIRED
• Powerofpositivity.com: What Does Your Hair Reveal About Your Personality?
• Chron.com: The Importance of Eye Contact in a Job Interview
• Asktheheadhunter.com: Homepage