Body language does affect how interviewers rate you. It affects them less than popular advice suggests, it matters most in loosely run interviews, and the tricks people pass around, from power poses to copying the interviewer’s gestures, have weaker evidence than their reputation. The useful goal is modest: remove the signals that distract from what you are saying, and let your attention and interest show. This article sets out what the research supports and then turns it into a practical routine for in-person and video interviews.
What the research says
Finding 1: Nonverbal behaviour shapes interview ratings, especially in unstructured interviews
A 2009 meta-analysis by Barrick, Shaffer and DeGrassi in the Journal of Applied Psychology pooled studies on three self-presentation tactics: appearance, impression management, and verbal and nonverbal behaviour. These tactics were related to the ratings interviewers gave, and unstructured interviews were especially affected. The title sums up the second finding: “what you see in the interview may not be what you get on the job”. The tactics that lift interview scores were a weaker guide to later job performance.
What this means for you: interviewers are influenced by how you come across, whether or not they intend to be. Structured interviews, where every candidate gets the same questions and a scoring guide, reduce that influence, but you cannot count on the employer using one.
Finding 2: The effect is real but smaller outside the lab
A 2017 meta-analysis by Peck and Levashina in Frontiers in Psychology summarises the Barrick figures for nonverbal and verbal behaviour: the effect on ratings was higher in lab studies (r = 0.41) than in field studies (r = 0.32). Both are meaningful relationships. The difference is a reminder that results from mock interviews with students do not always transfer neatly to real hiring.
Finding 3: The handshake carries information, but it is a proxy
In a 2008 study, Stewart and colleagues had 98 university students complete mock interviews, with trained raters scoring each handshake separately. Handshake quality was linked to interviewers’ hiring recommendations, and it helped explain why more extraverted candidates were rated higher. Women’s handshakes received lower ratings on average, but women were not, on average, rated less suitable, and an exploratory analysis suggested a firm handshake might matter more for women.
What this means for you: the handshake works as a quick signal of confidence and warmth, which is why it influences people. Where a handshake is expected, make it firm and brief, with eye contact. Where it may not be, because customs on handshakes differ between cultures and between individuals, follow the interviewer’s lead. A smile and a spoken greeting are always acceptable.
Finding 4: Power poses do not change your hormones
The idea that standing in an expansive pose for two minutes raises testosterone and lowers cortisol came from a 2010 study. A 2015 replication by Ranehill and colleagues, with 200 participants against 42 in the original, found no significant effect on testosterone, cortisol or risk-taking. It did find that people reported feeling slightly more powerful. A review in the British Psychological Society’s The Psychologist traces the debate since then: the original lead author said in 2016 that she did not believe the effects were real, while effects on self-reported feelings of power have held up better, though researchers still argue about how much they mean.
What this means for you: if a minute of stretching tall before you walk in helps you feel steadier, do it. Do not expect it to change how the interviewer sees you.
Myths and better alternatives
| Common advice | The problem | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| “Strike a power pose before the interview to boost your hormones.” | Larger studies found no hormonal effect. | Use whatever calms you: slow breathing, a short walk, reviewing your notes. |
| “Hold eye contact the whole time.” | Unbroken eye contact feels like staring, and norms vary between cultures and individuals. | Look at the interviewer while they ask and when you make your main point; glance away naturally while thinking. |
| “Mirror the interviewer’s body language.” | Deliberate copying is easy to spot and takes attention away from your answers. | Listen properly. Natural rapport tends to look after itself. |
| “Crossed arms always signal defensiveness.” | Single gestures are poor evidence of anything; people cross their arms when they are cold. | Keep hands visible and relaxed, but do not obsess over one posture. |
| “Body language matters more than what you say.” | The research links nonverbal behaviour to ratings, but it does not show it outweighs content, and it predicts job performance less well. | Prepare strong answers first. Then remove distractions. |
A moment-by-moment guide for in-person interviews
Arrival and greeting
- Treat everyone you meet as part of the interview, including reception and security staff.
- Stand to greet the interviewer if you are seated when they arrive.
- Smile, say their name if you know it, and follow their lead on the handshake.
Sitting down
- Wait to be offered a seat, or ask “Shall I sit here?”
- Sit back in the chair, upright but not rigid, feet on the floor.
- Put your bag on the floor and your notes or folder on the table. Empty hands make it easier to gesture naturally.
While the interviewer speaks
- Look at them, and nod occasionally to show you are following.
- Keep still. Pen-clicking, phone-checking and watch-glancing all read as impatience.
- If there is a panel, look mostly at whoever is speaking.
While you answer
- Pause before answering a hard question. A short silence looks thoughtful; a rushed answer looks nervous.
- Gesture with open hands at about chest height if it is natural for you. Do not suppress gestures entirely, because stillness can look stiff.
- With a panel, start the answer to the person who asked, then include the others with your eyes, and finish back with the questioner.
- Notice your voice as well as your body. Speaking slightly more slowly than in normal conversation helps both clarity and calm.
Closing
- Do not start packing up until the interviewer signals the end.
- Stand, thank them, and repeat the greeting you used at the start.
- Stay composed until you are out of the building.
On video
A video call strips out most of the moments above: there is no walk in, no handshake and no chair to choose, and eye contact moves to the camera lens. Camera set-up, framing and on-screen gestures are covered in a separate guide on body language for video interviews, so this article stays with the room.
A 20-minute mock interview with a friend
- Set the room up like an interview: two chairs across a table, with your friend seated as the interviewer. Prop a phone on a shelf so it films you from the side, showing your legs, hands and posture as well as your face.
- Walk in from outside the door, greet your friend, wait to be offered a seat and sit down. Then answer three common questions. Ten minutes.
- Ask your friend for one observation only: the thing they noticed most, such as foot-tapping, a fixed smile or looking at the table at the start of every answer.
- Watch the side-on recording and check the moments people forget: how you sat down, what your hands did while you listened, and how you stood up at the end. Five minutes.
- Repeat the close (thanks, stand, leave) until it feels routine. Five minutes.
Do this two or three times in the week before a big interview, changing one habit each time. The goal is not to perform. It is to make your habits invisible so the interviewer focuses on your answers.
If eye contact or stillness is hard for you
Many people find sustained eye contact uncomfortable, including many neurodivergent candidates, and anxiety can make stillness difficult. You do not have to force it. Looking at the area between someone’s eyebrows, or at the camera lens on video, is a common workaround. You can also choose to tell the interviewer, briefly and without apology, for example: “I sometimes look away while I think, but I am fully engaged.” If you need adjustments to the interview format, ask the recruiter in advance.
Getting the content right first
The research says nonverbal signals influence ratings, but the strongest interview performances still rest on clear, specific answers. Before you rehearse posture, make sure your examples are ready and match what is on your CV. The resume builder helps you get that document in order, and the resume questions hub answers common CV queries.
Frequently asked questions
How much does body language affect an interview?
Meta-analyses show a meaningful link between nonverbal behaviour and interview ratings, stronger in lab studies and in unstructured interviews. It does not outweigh the content of your answers, and it predicts job performance less well than it predicts interview scores.
Where should I look in a panel interview?
Mostly at whoever is speaking. When you answer, start with the person who asked, include the others as you go, and finish with the questioner.
Is it bad to use hand gestures in an interview?
No. Natural gestures at chest height help you explain. Avoid repetitive movements and pointing at the interviewer.
What if I shake when I am nervous?
Rest your hands on the table or your lap, hold a pen without clicking it, and slow your breathing. Most interviewers expect some nerves and focus on what you say.
Sources
- Exploring the handshake in employment interviews (Stewart, Dustin, Barrick and Darnold, 2008, Journal of Applied Psychology), University of Iowa Iowa Research Online
- What you see may not be what you get: Relationships among self-presentation tactics and ratings of interview and job performance (Barrick, Shaffer and DeGrassi, 2009, DOI 10.1037/a0016532), Journal of Applied Psychology (abstract record via SUFE Academic Newsletter)
- Impression management and interview and job performance ratings: A meta-analysis of research design with tactics in mind (Peck and Levashina, 2017), Frontiers in Psychology
- Assessing the robustness of power posing (Ranehill et al., 2015), Psychological Science (author copy, University of Zurich)
- Power posing, The Psychologist, British Psychological Society