Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Body language matters in your job hunt

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I’ve been writing about listening skills last week don’t miss 7 tips to become a better active listener and 6 ways to become a better listener. One point that came up several times – body language is an important element of good listening. Think about it – eye contact, nodding, leaning in to listen – all of these help your conversation partner recognize how engaged you are and helps him or her feel valued as part of a conversation.

Body language may be more important than you think in a job hunt.

Kate Lorenz wrote about the topic for CareerBuilder.com. She said:

Research has shown that the first impression you make on an interviewer really sticks. In one study, untrained subjects were shown 20- to 32-second videotaped segments of job applicants greeting their interviewers. When the subjects rated the applicants on attributes like self-assurance and likeability, their assessments were very similar to the interviewers’ — who had spent more than 20 minutes with each applicant.

Seems like focusing on your body language – and first impressions – matters – a lot!

I once wrote a term paper about the importance of body language. The quote I remember from it,

“Don’t underestimate the power of body language,”

from The Little Mermaid, is no less true today!

(Yes, I really quoted a Disney movie in my paper. It worked.)

Did you know that people who are positive and confident outperform their peers in their job searches? Research shows that persistence and a postive attitude pay off in the job hunt. You can always pick out a pessimist by his or her body language – slumped shoulders, eyes down, expressionless (or frowning). No one wants to hire someone who seems sad or pessimistic. Straighten up, smile and make eye contact. Your body language speaks louder than your words.

In fact, research also shows that body language makes up more than half of how our communication is perceived. That means that you may be describing your greatest business accomplishment, but if your posture isn’t good and you don’t make effective eye contact, you might as well tell the interviewer about the time you lost your portfolio on the way to a presentation.

Another telling body language tool is the handshake.

How many times do we have to tell you – strong and firm gets the job done! BusinessWeek wrote about several different types of handshakes to use and some to avoid. Eye contact along with a firm handshake can make a world of difference to how you are being perceived.

Remember – the little things matter.

In fact, the “little things” may actually be the BIG things! Focus on every aspect of your presentation to ensure that you put your best foot forward with your job search.

photo by Gerwin Filius

7 tips to help you become a better ACTIVE listener

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I can’t talk enough about how important it is to be a good listener if you want to succeed in your job hunt. Earlier this week, I shared tips to help improve your listing skills. Today, some additional thoughts and advice!

I have written about how to stand out in a sea of sameness.  Instead of focusing on YOU – what you want, what you offer – start listening. Ask questions. Be the candidate who connects on an emotional level with your audience. There’s nothing that people like better than someone who seems interested in THEM – it’s human nature. Be the one who listens first and answers based on what you learn. You may be surprised by how well this technique works!

Being an active listener is just that – a process that involves your participation. On the surface, listening is something you do without thinking. In reality, to be a good listener, you need to work at it.

, who writes for the About.com Guide offered these tips to help become an active listener.

  1. Listen for verbal clues.
  2. Watch for nonverbal clues. “ Eyebrows, hands, pauses, eyes” – these note when a person makes an important point.
  3. Be mindful of your own reactions. Nod or smile, but try to avoid physically reacting to a negative comment. Fleming notes,  “As long as you’re managing your reactions, you’re still listening.”
  4. Avoid making predictions. Don’t assume what the person will say next, as it usually means you will stop listening.
  5. Focus on the words, not the person. Don’t focus on what the person wears or ugly hairstyle!
  6. Don’t get caught up on one detail. It is easy to get distracted, but you don’t want to miss the next important point.
  7. Don’t let your mind wander. Your “to do” list can wait. Push non-related thoughts from your mind to focus on the conversation.

Don’t miss the rest of my series about the five networking fundamentals to help you land a job. Review the pieces about the keys to researching your networking targets, how to ask good questions and six ways to improve your listening skills.

Once you have a chance to think about updating your skills, take  this quiz to evaluate your general listening skills.

Please share your ideas and comments about good listening in the comments!

photo by vickisnature

6 ways to improve your listening skills

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This is the fourth in my series about the five networking fundamentals to help you land a job. Don’t miss the pieces about the keys to researching your networking targets and how to ask good questions. Today’s installment is about being interested in the replies, which is mainly about being a good listener.

Good listening is fundamentally important for job seekers and all careerists. I’ve written about this and cannot say it enough.

It is so easy to be distracted. The buzzing (or ringing) phone in your pocket, the online ad that is dashing across your screen while you are typing an email, Tweetdeck notifying you of direct messages, the “to dos” running through your head while speaking to someone…This list is never ending. Being distracted is easy.

Need help articulating what you offer? Check out my new book:
100 Conversations for Career Success

Re-learning how to focus and concentrate is important, because good listeners have more opportunities to succeed at networking, in interviews and on the job. I can’t tell you how often I have interviewed a candidate, asked a question and gotten an answer that has nothing to do with what I wanted to know. Clearly, the person was not practicing active listening!

What can you do to improve your skills in this area?

JobsDB.com has some useful tips (bold from them, commentary is my own):

  1. Learn to listen by using lots of eye contact. It is harder to be distracted if you are really focusing on the speaker.
  2. Be slow to speak. Don’t interrupt.
  3. Be Attentive. Sit still and nod your head. Make sure your body language shows your interest. Lean in and keep your body turned directly to the other person.
  4. Show Gratitude.
    Thanking someone for a specific piece of advice or information clearly shows that you were listening and paying attention. Plus, people love to be thanked…It really helps form a connection that could result in more opportunities to share and learn.
  5. Stay in Tune.
    “If you find that your attention span is small, actively repeat what is being said to you as the speaker is speaking.” It’s rude to let your mind wander when someone is talking. If you are not interested in the conversation, change the subject or excuse yourself. Don’t give yourself permission to ignore what is going on in the discussion at hand.

Dawn Rosenber McKay, who writes for About.com, adds another great point: “Repeat instructions and ask appropriate questions when the speaker has finished.” This is a great tip to help maintain focus.

Stay tuned for more ideas to improve your listening skills…In the meantime, feel free to share your ideas and stories about good listening!

Photo by Beverly & Pack