When preparing for a job interview, most people would have non-verbal communication well down on a list of things to do or think about, and yet if you show poor non-verbal communication skills it could quite easily damage your chances of getting your ideal job. Before you even say anything at an interview, whoever first greets you will be taking a mental snapshot of you and your behaviour and committing that very quickly to memory so it’s important to get it right.

Listed below are some of the common mistakes that candidates make. If any of these resonate with you, take them on board and think what you will do to make sure that you don’t make these errors.

1. Not smiling: Not smiling at a job interview can immediately put a barrier between you and the person who greets you. Of course you don’t want to just smile for the sake of it, but it’s important that you smile and make connections with the people you meet.

2. Weak handshake: Most people have experienced shaking hands with someone who has a weak handshake. It may be unfair, but it puts people off, so make sure that when shaking hands at a job interview your grip is firm.

3. Poor eye contact: People generally think of poor eye contact as not making eye contact and that is a mistake that some people make, especially if they are being interviewed by a panel. However, it is also important that you don’t stare intently either, which can happen if you’re trying to make a point. You may well find someone labelling you as too intense if you do so.

4. Making excessive gestures: If you’re someone who’s naturally very expressive with their hands you need to try and control it when being interviewed or when having to do a presentation. Waving your hands or pointing to emphasise a point can be distracting or off-putting .

5. Fidgeting and fiddling: Clicking knuckles, fiddling with hair, picking at nail varnish, playing with jewellery are common mistakes that some candidates make that distract or irritate the interviewer. It’s important that you don’t do anything that distracts the interviewer away from focussing on your answers to questions .

6. Poor body positionining: Standing in someone else’s space, slouching in chairs, dragging your feet when being given a tour are all examples of poor body positioning. Ensure that your positioning does not give the impression that you are bored or unhappy.

7. Lack of synchronisation: If you’re saying one thing, but your body language is saying another you could give the impression of being insincere or someone who cannot be trusted. Make sure that your verbal and non-verbal communication are synchronised with one another.

Summary These are 7 common non-verbal communication mistakes that people make when being interviewed. There are of course others, but the message here is that when preparing for a job interview you should not forget to think about your non-verbal communication skills. They are as important as your verbal communication skills and they are something that you will be judged on.