Tips to maintain a positive body language at Civil Service Interview

Tips to maintain a positive body language at Civil Service Interview

It is not what you say but how you say that matters. Your body language conveys a lot about you and most of the time the interviewer judges you before you utter the first word based on these non verbal factors. It is quite normal for a candidate to be extremely nervous while facing the civil services interview and that’s when you are most likely to lose control over your body language and in the process convey a negative impression about yourself. Pay attention to your body language if you are determined to make it through the personality test. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts that can help you in maintaining a positive body language at the personality test.

- The interview begins right when you are inside the room so make sure you make a good entrance with confidence. You do not want to be hurrying inside when you are called you name so it is a good practice to get ready right when you are waiting outside. Repeat in your mind that you are being watched right now and that you need to stay calm and ready at the same time. When you walk in, walk straight and with confidence, greet the board members politely and take your seat in a perfect posture.


- Do not slouch back on your seat as it gives the impression that you are too relaxed and casual. While you do not want to appear rigid and stiff with fists clutched, appearing not interested and unprepared will also give a negative impression. Sit straight and keep your posture perfect with a little leaning forward when you are asked a question. Do not overdo it else it gives the impression that you are too nervous, just do it at the right time.


- Align your posture towards your interviewers – this makes you look attentive and agreeing.


- Do not lean towards the door. This gives the impression that you are ready to make a run – a sign of nervousness and lack of confidence which will look like you are unprepared for the interview.


- Shake hands with confidence and not like the dead fish as they call it. You also do not want to show of strength out there so do not hold it in the death grip. Keep it polite and confident keeping your palm slightly up – this gives the impression that you are giving respect.


- Maintaining eye contact is important and that does not include staring blankly at them. You will be facing more than one interviewer so make sure that you maintain an eye contact with each of them for some interval of time while answering a question. You must maintain eye contact with the interviewer who has asked the question and then move your eye contact to the other members too before returning to the interviewer whose question you are answering. If you face problem maintaining eye contact during conversations, practice with friends and family members. You can also practice in front of a mirror or a web cam. This will get you ready for the eye contact maintaining practice.


- Never rub or touch your nose – this not just looks gross but also gives an impression that you are not being honest in your answers. Avoid rubbing your head and neck even if you have a cramp. It will make you look bored. The same goes for crossing your legs and shaking them idly – it makes you look uncomfortable and trust me when I say it is very distracting. Avoid playing with your hair or biting nails if you have the gross habit of doing that when you are dead nervous.


- Use your hands for gestures while answering the questions but do so with complete attention and never use them to show how casual you are. Pressing the fingertips of both the hands towards to form a steeple is a good gesture that gives the impression of being attentive.


- Keep your expressions positive and pleasant. Do not lose your calm if the question gets tricky or unpleasant. Keep your head high and think well before you answer. Talk with a polite smile and never overdo it only to make it look all false. Even when the interviewer laughs, you must smile only instead of joining the laughter.


- Keep yourself composed even if the situation gets tricky and nerve-wrecking. Under no circumstances you are allowed to get into an argument with the board members, not even when you completely disagree with them and they refuse to listen to what you are trying to explain. You must be polite when you tell them that you are still sticking to your point. Your body language must never give them the impression that you have lost your temper or any hint of anger or aggression must not be brought out in your body language. They might be wanting to test how you keep yourself composed at unpleasant situation so try not to spoil it with any hint if aggression in your body language.


- Never let your body language give the impression that you are too prepared for a certain question like a recent news affair or a very expected question. Pause a while when the question ends and recollect your answer before you speak. This will give the impression that you are thinking about it attentively. No arrogance should be evident in your body language even if you are well prepared; if you do that they might push it further and you will land yourself with a much harder or tricky question than they were planning to ask you in the first place.


- When the interview is done and you are about to leave, do not let yourself lose the composure until you are away from the place of interview. Walk out in a cordial way and keep the politeness intact in your movement.