Eye contact when interviewing

[Crazy Hippos]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Ok, so I'm a totally awkward interviewee and after my last interview, I decided I needed your guys' opinion on this. When I was at my Mizzou interview, there were 4 interviewers and they were kind of spread out around the table and all took turns asking their questions.

My question is, when you are interviewing, are you supposed to just look at the interviewer who asked you the question when you answer or should you also devote some eye contact time to the other interviewers? I thought it would be appropriate to look at everyone, but while I was answering, I noticed the other interviewers were just looking at my file and the interviewer looked kind of confused as to why I was looking around the room.

Sorry, I know I'm probably over analyzing this and being completely paranoid.

 

[BlacKAT33]

I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer to this. Probably depends on the situation. I was told that you should start answering to the person who asked you the question first, and then briefly look at everyone else, and finish up with the same person who asked the Q. But since it seems like the interviewers at MO were not looking at you during other people's questions, i think it would be ok to just look at the on person who asked you the question.
I guess its hard to know until you are there and see what all the interviewers are doing.

 

[DickVetPlease]

I can see how four people would make it a little difficult (I'll be at Mizzou on Saturday, so its good to know that). I had an interview last week with two interviewers. For the most part, I only kept eye contact with the person with whom I was speaking. Occasionally, the other interviewer would chime in, in which case I would redirect my attention.

I wouldn't worry about it too much though. It probably seems a lot more awkward to you than it really is. Just don't look like you're ignoring the person speaking to you 😛

 

[scb44f]

When I served as one in a group of interviewers for a position at my school, I appreciated the fact that the interviewee looked at everyone. Maybe your interviewer had something else on his mind.

I also think it's more comfortable for me to look at other peoples' faces, even if they aren't looking back at me, but I still give "priority" to the person who asks the question.

Anyway, I'm sure you did a great job. Do you feel good about the interview otherwise?

 

[HopefulAg]

I always start looking at the person who started the question and occasionally glance at the others around the room, just to kind of 'include' them in the conversation, then I shift back to the person who asked the question.

My biggest problem is I've always been told you should glance away from the person you're talking to because then it's like you're staring at them and you need to 'give them a break' so to speak, but looking away from someone you're talking to (and just looking at a wall or something behind them) kind of seems....rude, to me.

 

[Crazy Hippos]

Thanks for your advice everyone! One less thing to be worried about! 👍

Scb, I do think the interview went well. Everyone was really nice though so I think it would be difficult to tell even if I didn't do well! 🙂

HopefulAg, I also think it would be weird look to look at a non-existent person to give them a break, but if I were them, I would probably appreciate it.

 

[bruinvetman]

during my ohio st interview, i had a good cop bad cop situation. Only after the interview did I realize that I had been directing all of attention to the good cop. I couldn't really help it cause she seemed very interested in everything I was saying while the guy seemed otherwise. Make sure you don't do this cause its very hard not to, luckily i still got in!

 

[hopefulin09]

I'm glad you asked this question. I went to an interview workshop and one of my critiques was how awkward my eye contact was. This is something we'll just need to work on in the mirror and in front of others. Too bad we can't wear sunglasses during the interviews. 😎

 

[causticus]

It seems like it's always these little things that drive us crazy. Last year for my OSU interview (2 interviewers), I had kind of a similar problem. There was one person asking most of the questions, but she rarely made eye contact with me because she had her eyeballs on my file most of the time I was talking. So I just looked at the other person - the one who hadn't asked the questions - because she was really the only one looking at me. If they're not even looking at you, how are they going to know if you're making eye contact with them or not??

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think as long as you're making eye contact with somebody -vs looking around the room or at the floor or ceiling or whatever - you should be fine. In my experience, the people interviewing aren't anywhere near as anal about these little things as we usually think they are.

 

[variegata]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think as long as you're making eye contact with somebody -vs looking around the room or at the floor or ceiling or whatever - you should be fine. In my experience, the people interviewing aren't anywhere near as anal about these little things as we usually think they are.

I hope that's true. At Kansas, I found myself starting with the person that asked the question, then focusing most of my eye contact on the person sitting across the table from me (there were 3 interviewers). Didn't realize that until the end, so I didn't have much time to correct myself there.