Interview Body Language: What to Do, What to Avoid & How to Look Confident

Interviewers decide largely on what you say, but how you say it shapes how they hear it. Posture, eye contact, facial expression and tone give signals about confidence, honesty, engagement and composure. Two candidates can give an identical answer and leave very different impressions because one looked comfortable and attentive and the other looked tense and distracted.

It is worth being precise about what body language can and cannot do. You may have seen the claim that 93% of communication is non-verbal; that figure is a misreading of small laboratory studies by Albert Mehrabian on how people judge feelings from mixed signals, and it does not apply to job interviews. Content still matters most. But non-verbal behaviour acts as a multiplier: it makes strong answers more credible and can undermine weak ones, and first impressions form quickly, often before you have answered a single question.

The interview starts when you enter the building. Receptionists and people you pass in corridors sometimes give feedback, so be polite and composed from the start. Arrive 10–15 minutes early, not 40, and use the time to settle your breathing.

• Stand when greeted. Make eye contact, smile, and say hello and the interviewer's name if you know it.
• Handshake: If a handshake is offered, keep it firm but not crushing, two or three pumps, with your palm vertical. If handshakes are not customary or the interviewer does not offer one, a nod and smile is fine. Never insist.
• Carry less. A slim folder or bag lets you keep a hand free. Switch your phone to silent and put it away.
• Wait to be invited to sit. Then take the seat you are offered and settle with your back against the chair.

Dress is part of the first impression; our what to wear to an interview guide covers industry-specific norms.

Eye contact in more detail

Many candidates are told to maintain constant eye contact, which is unrealistic and can feel aggressive. In a normal conversation people look away regularly while thinking. A good rule is to hold eye contact while the interviewer speaks and while you deliver the key point of your answer, and let your gaze drift naturally while you form your thoughts. Cultural norms differ, and some interviewers will not expect sustained eye contact; follow their lead.

Hands, nerves and fidgeting

Nervous energy usually shows in the hands. Rest them lightly on the table or hold a pen or notepad to give them a place to be. If you tap or click the pen, put it down. Open-palm gestures help emphasise points and signal honesty, but keep them within the area of your torso.

The signals above are consistent across formats, but each setting has its own considerations.

On video, small movements are magnified. Place the camera at eye level, keep lighting in front of you, and check what is visible behind you. Looking at the lens instead of the screen is the single most effective adjustment, and it is the main thing candidates forget.

Trying to hide nerves with willpower often makes them worse. A better approach is to reduce the physical symptoms that cause visible signals.

• Slow your breathing. Breathe in for four seconds and out for six for a minute or two before you go in. A longer out-breath calms the nervous system.
• Plant your feet. Pressing your feet into the floor reduces fidgeting and steadies your posture.
• Pause before answering. A one-to-two-second pause looks thoughtful and gives you time to settle.
• Use water. A sip of water covers a pause and relieves a dry mouth.
• Rehearse aloud. Familiarity with your answers frees attention to listen and engage rather than recall.

For a deeper routine, see our guide to interview nerves. If you are unprepared for the questions themselves, start with how to prepare for a job interview and the most common interview questions.

• Weak or overly strong handshake. Aim for firm and brief.
• Slouching or leaning back too far. It reads as disinterest or over-familiarity.
• Tightly crossed arms. Often read as defensive, even if you are only cold.
• Avoiding eye contact entirely. It can be mistaken for dishonesty or lack of confidence.
• Staring. Hold contact for a few seconds, then relax your gaze.
• Fidgeting with objects. Pens, hair, jewellery and cuffs all pull attention away from your answer.
• Checking your phone or watch. Put the phone away and keep your wrist still.
• Mirroring too obviously. Subtle matching of pace is natural; copying every gesture looks strange.
• Looking at yourself on screen in video interviews. Look at the camera instead.
• Shutting down at the end. Finish as you started — stand, smile, thank each person and offer a handshake if appropriate.

• Before: Slow breathing, shoulders down, phone silent, arrive 10–15 minutes early.
• Greeting: Smile, eye contact, firm handshake or friendly nod, say your name clearly.
• During answers: Upright posture, hands visible, natural eye contact, steady pace, pauses between points.
• While listening: Slight nods, engaged expression, no interruptions.
• Asking your questions: Lean in slightly, show curiosity; see questions to ask at an interview for what to ask.
• Closing: Thank everyone, reiterate interest, then follow up with a thank-you email.

If you want a feel for what interviewers think of your presence, record a mock interview on your phone and watch it with the sound off. Most people spot two or three habits immediately — a nodding tic, a closed posture, a gaze that drops — and one practice round is usually enough to fix them.