Part of my major studied nonverbal communication. Plus I have worked with communication in many organizations and extracurriculars.
Here's my take...
Sitting posture:
- Do not slouch, do not fidget
- Shoulders relaxed, hands relaxed in lap
- For women, if crossing legs, cross at ankles (mainly as a safety issue for wearing skirts, not so much a communicative issue)
- Lean forward slightly when answering questions to show interest and to engage interviewer
- When using hand gestures, do not extend whole arm and also do not give weak gestures
Standing posture:
- Stand up straight, shoulders relaxed, hands relaxed at sides or behind back
- If you want to cup your hands, do not do so at full length (think of where your hands are and what they bring focus to), have elbows bent and keep elbows slightly away from body (shows openness and receptiveness)
- Do not slouch, do not fidget
- When using hand gestures, do not extend whole arm and also do not give weak gestures
Tone - pitch and pace:
- A moderate pace in talking shows confidence and adds credibility to your answer
- Too fast pace, you seem nervous; too slow pace, you seem hesitant; too fast or too slow and you lose credibility
- Lower pitch (but not too low), for both men and women, is typically considered more pleasant in these situations
Important addition: people have a tendency to put "psychological blocks" between themselves and their audience/interviewer. These can be your hand on your face, hair in your face, piece of furniture purposefully in-between, etc. Remove the psychological block! Typically, these blocks affect your ability to communicate, and to some degree, your audience will perceive or recognize the block. Most people have these blocks, but they vary. So figure out what yours is and remove it!
🙂
I may edit and add to this list if I remember a few things. Let me know if some of it is unclear or needs explanation.
at the person who forgot your girlfriend's name. Sorry about your friend.
