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Is Bad Body Language Costing You the Surgical Tech Job? Four Ways to Fix It Now

Interview after interview for a surgical tech job or other healthcare position – and no offers. That situation can be very frustrating, and it can happen for a variety of reasons. One of the most common causes for this situation can be body language. Even when the candidate says all the right things, bad body language can tell a different story. The good news is that it’s fixable; here are four ways to address it.

Better eye contact

When people are nervous or anxious, such as during a job interview, they may forget about the importance of eye contact. It’s important to keep it in mind right from the beginning of the interview. As a form of non-verbal communication, it speaks volumes; it’s a simple thing that can go a long way to convincing an interviewer that you’re the right candidate.

In addition, it’s important to remember that eye contact should be consistent. This includes avoiding a sudden change in eye contact. If the candidate has great eye contact and suddenly starts blinking rapidly – more than 70 blinks per minute – it can indicate stress and a desire to avoid the truth.

Are you moving around too much in the chair?

When people get nervous, they may fidget. It’s understandable, but it can be a problem during an interview. In fact, it’s one of the ten biggest body language mistakes people make during interviews.

It can be helpful to be more mindful of this, and practice interviews may help. With practice, candidates can work on avoiding fidgeting such as tapping a finger, shaking a leg, playing with hair, and so on.

Are you too serious?

Interviews can be very intense, and candidates can be very serious during the process. Even if the job is a dream job for the interviewee, coming across as too serious may be counterproductive. While frowning and scowling can signal displeasure or judgment, smiling can invoke positive feelings from the interviewer and help create a good lasting impression.

There is a very simple trick to help with this: think positively. Try walking into the interview with a smile. The smile should be natural, not forced, so it helps to relax. The smile can set the tone for the interview and let the interviewer know the candidate is excited to be there and interested in the job.

Slouching/crossed arms

When people are anxious or nervous, they may cross their arms or hunch their shoulders. However, this can convey insecurity; it may also make the individual seem uninterested, unapproachable, or aggressive. Of course, candidates don’t want to convey these qualities during a job interview.

When an individual is prone to crossing arms or hunching shoulders, it’s important to try to break those habits before a job interview. Otherwise, the candidate may be distracted when speaking with the interviewer. The best way to stop this habit is to focus on keeping hands on the knees, folded in the lap, or folded on the table.

We can help!

At 365 Healthcare Staffing Services, we specialize in the recruitment and placement of healthcare professionals in per diem, travel, and permanent assignments in healthcare facilities across the country. If you’re concerned about your body language during interviews, use these tips. We’d like to talk with you to help you find your next assignment, so call us at 310.436.3650 today; we’d love to work with you.

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