Body language do's and don'ts in the interview

 

Don't let your body send the wrong message. Learn the best body language to get you the job.

Your heart feels ready to leap out of your chest. Beads of sweat build on your forehead. Your mind is racing. It's not a full-blown interrogation -- although it may feel like it -- it's just a job interview. While it's no secret that job interviews can be nerve-racking, a lot of job candidates spend a significant amount of time worrying about what they will say during their interview, only to blow it all with their body language. The old adage, "It's not what you say, it's how you say it," still holds meaning, even if you're not talking. You need to effectively communicate your professionalism both verbally and nonverbally. Because watching your nonverbal cues, delivering concise answers and expressing your enthusiasm at once can be difficult when you're nervous, here's a guide to walk you through it:

Have them at "hello"

Before you walk into the interview, it's assumed that you will have done the following: prepared yourself by reading up on the company and recent company news; practiced what you'll say to some of the more common interview questions; and followed the "what to wear on your interview" advice. So you're ready, right? Some hiring managers claim they can spot a possible candidate for a job within 30 seconds or less, and while a lot of that has to do with the way you look, it's also in your body language. Don't walk in pulling up your pantyhose or readjusting your tie; pull yourself together before you stand up to greet the hiring manager or enter their office. Avoid a "dead fish" handshake and confidently -- but not too firmly -- grasp your interviewer's hand and make eye contact while saying hello.

Shake your hand, watch yourself

If you are rocking back in your chair, shaking your foot, drumming your fingers or scratching your... anything, you're going to look like the type of future employee who wouldn't be able to stay focused, if even for a few minutes. It's a not a game of charades, it's a job interview. Here's what to do (and not do):

Don't:

Rub the back of your head or neck. Even if you really do just have a cramp in your neck, these gestures make you look disinterested.

Rub or touch your nose. This suggests that you're not being completely honest, and it's gross.

Sit with your armed folded across your chest. You'll appear unfriendly and disengaged.

Cross your legs and idly shake one over the other. It's distracting and shows how uncomfortable you are.

Lean your body towards the door. You'll appear ready to make a mad dash for the door.

Slouch back in your seat. This will make you appear disinterested and unprepared.

Stare back blankly. This is a look people naturally adapt when they are trying to distance themselves.

Do:

Sit up straight, and lean slightly forward in your chair. In addition to projecting interest and engagement in the interaction, aligning your body's position to that of the interviewer's shows admiration and agreement.

Show your enthusiasm by keeping an interested expression. Nod and make positive gestures in moderation to avoid looking like a bobblehead.

Establish a comfortable amount of personal space between you and the interviewer. Invading personal space (anything more than 20 inches) could make the interviewer feel uncomfortable and take the focus away from your conversation.

Limit your application of colognes and perfumes. Invading aromas can arouse allergies. Being the candidate that gave the interviewer a headache isn't going to do anything in your favor.

If you have more than one person interviewing you at once, make sure you briefly address both people with your gaze (without looking like a tennis spectator) and return your attention to the person who has asked you a question.

Interruptions can happen. If they do, refrain from staring at your interviewer while they address their immediate business and motion your willingness to leave if they need privacy.

Stand up and smile even if you are on a phone interview. Standing increases your level of alertness and allows you to become more engaged in the conversation.

Say Goodbye Gracefully

After a few well-thought-out questions and answers with your interviewer, it's almost over, but don't lose your cool just yet. Make sure your goodbye handshake is just as confident now as it was going in. Keep that going while you walk through the office building, into the elevator and onto the street. Once safely in your car, a cab or some other measurable safe distance from the scene of your interview, it's safe to let go. You may have aced it, but the last thing you want is some elaborate end-zone dance type of routine killing all your hard work at the last moment.

How to get a job out of state: 8 tips to keep in mind

 

If you have plans to leave the state, your job search may need some extra work. Advice when submitting their resume out of state

You've been looking for a job for months, but no luck. So you've decided to start fresh–in a new city, in a different state, hundreds of miles away. Some people might think you're crazy, but expanding your job search might actually be the best thing you could do.
"People should not limit themselves to one area. There are many jobs in specific fields that are hot in certain geographic locations [and not so hot in] others," says Gina Kleinworth, social media coordinator for HireBetter in Austin, Texas. "In these times when jobs can be scarce, you must be open to going where the jobs are. They are not going to come to you."

While submitting your resume to an out-of-state employer is a good way to ramp up your job search, it's not without challenges. Job seekers may worry that hiring managers may not consider their resume as seriously as a local candidate, for example, but that's not necessarily true.
"At first, hiring managers may be inclined to consider candidates that are local or within commuting distance. But as the search continues they can become more open to candidates that are applying from out of the area," Kleinworth says. "Hiring someone from out of the area can be a great way to bring in top talent that you wouldn't otherwise find in your local area."

The level of the position can also be an obstacle when you apply for a job out of state. An executive out-of-state applicant might be more appealing to an employer than an entry-level candidate, for example.
"Generally, entry level jobs are more abundant," Kleinworth notes. "You normally see people relocating for a job because it is a step above their current level, a great new opportunity or is in a more desirable location. This usually isn't the case with entry-level positions."

Obstacles that job seekers might consider when searching for a job in a different state include:

- Lack of contacts
- Fewer (or no) opportunities to attend networking events
- Traveling for multiple interviews
- Difficulty obtaining current and accurate information on the local job market.

While it may seem like the odds are stacked against you, it's important to remember that you're going to face difficulties whether you're searching locally or out of state. And like all challenges, there is a way to overcome them, if you just know how.

8 best practices job seekers should keep in mind:

1. Identify your career and personal goals:
Clarify the type of job want. Are you interested in changing careers or just employers?, Babkirk asks. "Where do you want to live, including location and type of residence? What is your ideal time frame for moving?"

2. Write a job description that reflects what you want and use it as a benchmark:
Know what is necessary or negotiable for you in terms of: salary and benefits, responsibilities, physical work environment, colleagues, skills and workplace culture, Babkirk says.

3. Research the new location:
Look at the quality of the schools if you have children, make sure the housing is acceptable and within your new price range, check out the crime rate where you'd be wanting to live, research the demographics, look into services available and how they compare with what you are looking for, Kleinworth says.

4. Identify and research key resources in your industry or career field:
Research the professional associations affiliated with your target job. The Encyclopedia of Associations, available in libraries and online, gives useful descriptions," Babkirk says. "Note the officers' names and the date and place of their annual conference. Plan to attend if possible. Contact the association's officers for help with networking.

5. Be rational: Be realistic about what it will truly cost you to relocate if the new employer doesn't offer assistance, Kleinworth says. "Moving is expensive."
Network your way out of state:

6. Tell anyone you know of your plans to relocate. Ask if they know anyone who lives and works in your target location and if they would be willing to send an email asking if you might contact them for networking, Babkirk says.

7. Stay focused on your goal and take specific steps each week toward it:
Before you know it, you'll be living and working where you want to be, Babkirk encourages.

8. Don't give up:
If you are committed to finding the perfect job- it does exist and you can have a job you love in a place you love living in.

How to Write Perfect Resumes

 

Here’s everything you need to make sure your resume checks all the boxes.

Mack Gelber,

Think your resume is nothing more than a few sentences and a handful of bullet points? Think again. Perfect resumes are crafted with care, each line contributing to a larger snapshot of who you are, what you do, how you're prepared to blow your prospective employer out of the water with your one-of-a-kind skillset.

Okay, maybe we've oversold it a bit. Still, your resume is the document that does the heavy lifting in a job search, the meat and potatoes to your cover letter's amuse-bouche. It's not something you slap together in 30 minutes—in fact, you'll probably want to tailor at least a few items to each potential job on your list.

Sound intimidating? Don't worry, it's not that bad. And no, we won't use the term "amuse-bouche" again in this article.

Perfect Resumes: The Key Elements

1. Contact Info
2. Career Summary
3. Relevant Skills
4. Work History
5. Education and Certifications

1. Contact Info

This is pretty basic. If someone has any interest in hiring you, they need to be able to get in touch with you first. That's why you need to include your contact details, preferably at the top of your resume: name, address, phone number, email, the whole kit and caboodle. Even if you submitted a spot-on perfect resume through Monster or another site where your account may auto-submit some basic information, don't expect an HR person or hiring manager to do any digging. They're more likely to go with someone who didn't forget to include their cell number at the top of their resume.

2. Career Summary

Before you dive into your job history, it's a good idea to write a sentence or two that serves as your resume's personal statement. Beneath your name and contact information, consider leading with a well-branded resume headline to give hiring managers a sense of who you are professionally. Then write a few sentences that summarize your background and career highlights. Add your industry experience and credentials that set you apart in your field.

3. Relevant Skills

The emphasis here is on the word relevant. Remember what we said about tailoring each resume to the job at hand? Most job listings will mention a few of the key skills the employer is seeking out, and your resume is the ideal place to note that you have those abilities in spades.

Perfect resumes judicially highlight skills that are applicable to the job at hand; your resume shouldn't be a laundry list of your talents. So when you're trying to decide which skills to mention, pick and choose based on which are most closely aligned with the role. While you may indeed have many talents, the likelihood that an employer needs to know about both your fluency in Javascript and your award-winning sourdough skills is probably pretty low. If you need some job-specific guidance, check out Monster's library of sample resumes.

4. Work History

Now we're getting down to the detail-rich, Ben and Jerry's–like core of your resume. This is the part where you list, one by one, the jobs that make up your career history. But rather than simply enumerating your basic job duties (scrubbed dishes, prepared amuse-bouches—oops, sorry), a better approach is to frame each position around a measurable accomplishment.

But take care not to simply write down your job duties and daily tasks—mention your successes and achievements. Numbers are always good to have, so quantify each accomplishment you put on your resume whenever possible. Examples include increases in sales, reducing turnaround times, and number of people you oversaw and/or trained. Don't forget to include any company commendations or industry awards you won for your work.

5. Education and Certifications

Speaking of awards, feel free to give those their own section, along with any professional certifications you may hold (if you have a few of both, we'd prioritize the latter). As with your skills breakdown, be judicious and only include items that are relevant to the job. Finally, under a separate heading, don't forget to include some details about your education history, leading with the highest level of education you've completed (including degree, if applicable). Unless you're currently a student, you can probably leave your GPA out—and even then, it's typically not an absolute must.

Your Perfect Resume Needs Exposure

Now that you have all the elements in place, it's time to get hiring managers to pay attention. You're going to be competing against other people with impressive qualifications, so take every advantage to get noticed. Want some help with that? Start by creating a free profile on Monster. It's simple and only takes a few minutes, and the rewards are worth it. We can connect you to recruiters in your field who are hiring for open positions. Additionally, you can sign up for custom job alerts to stay ahead of the game. Sounds pretty perfect to us.