In each of these instances, your body language speaks volumes about how you'd perform at a company. In fact, some experts say nonverbal cues are more important than verbal ones. According to these studies, body language comprises 55% of the force of any response, whereas the verbal content only provides 7%, and "paralanguage," or the intonation, pauses and sighs given when answering, represents 38% of the emphasis.

Jo-Ann Vega, president of JV Career and Human Resources Consulting Services in Nyack , N.Y. , says body language is so important that it frequently torpedoes what we say.

"Our nonverbal messages often contradict what we say in words," says Ms. Vega. "When we send mixed messages or our verbal messages don't jibe with our body statements, our credibility can crumble because most smart interviewers believe the nonverbal."

Laid-off managers are a case in point. They're often so traumatized by their terminations that they appear downcast, even when discussing their strengths, says Ms. Vega. Difficult questions can throw them off balance, and their anxiety may cause them to fidget or become overly rigid, she says.

Since nonverbal communication is more eloquent, honest and accurate than verbal communication, such actions reveal your inner confidence. While words can deceive -- many people don't mean what they say or say what they mean -- body language is subconscious. Since it's more spontaneous and less controlled, it shows our true feelings and attitudes.

Still, most people discount the importance of nonverbal communication because their education and training placed more emphasis on spoken words. To become more adept at interpreting and using body language, heighten your awareness of nonverbal signals and learn to trust your "gut" instinct. Then, when interviewing, use the following tips to accentuate body language that stresses professionalism and performance.

The First Moments

Realize that you're being judged as soon as you arrive at the company. Set the right tone by being early, then use the extra time to compose yourself. When waiting for interviewers, don't open your briefcase to review notes you've prepared. Instead, glance through available magazines or literature in the waiting area.

This creates the impression that you're relaxed before stressful events, and helps you project confidence during the critical early moments of the interview.

If a receptionist or secretary indicates that the interviewer is ready to see you, enter his or her office as though you belonged. Knocking on the door, or opening it and peeking in, shows hesitation, which may be interpreted as a lack of confidence.

Greet your interviewer with a firm, sincere handshake. More than a few candidates have betrayed their nervousness by extending limp, clammy palms, and shaking hands weakly.

Don't start talking immediately, fumble with your briefcase or dive into a chair. If you aren't invited to sit, choose a chair across from or aside the interviewer's desk. Avoid soft lounge chairs or couches, which can prevent you from rising easily. And don't ask if and where you should sit.

If your interviewer receives a phone call during the meeting, select and review material from your briefcase to give him or her a sense of privacy. Don't show annoyance about the interruption or offer to leave the office. Many interviewers purposely take calls to determine if you'll react adversely to office disruptions.

How Close Can You Get?

Like anyone else, interviewers become uncomfortable if their personal space, or preferred distance from others, is invaded. Extraverted interviewers prefer a "social zone" of between 18 and 48 inches from their bodies, while introverts need more space.

Try to gauge interviewers' preferred distance by their seating arrangements. Move closer only if they seem skeptical about what you're saying. Other attempts to seem "friendly" by moving closer are likely to be threatening. For instance, some interviewers deliberately "interrogate" applicants by sitting or standing closer than they prefer.

When emphasizing key points, project sincerity and confidence by leaning forward, maintaining eye contact and using expressive gestures. Leaning back and looking down may be interpreted as a lack of confidence.

How Do You Speak?

Conversely, insecure candidates can't control their voice pitch and volume. They have weak, soft, hesitant or tremulous voices, and clear their throats, use "uhs" and "ums" or other nervous mannerisms excessively. Others mask their insecurity by speaking in complex, involved sentences.

Maintain Eye Contact

Candidates with secure self-esteem alter their facial expressions to match their message, rather than perpetually wearing the same one. They smile when saying something friendly, and maintain good eye contact, which signifies openness and honesty.

Less-assured candidates don't maintain eye contact, act shy or ashamed or smile at inappropriate times. They may appear downcast or pleading, or drop their eyes and heads, giving them an untrustworthy appearance.

Be cognizant of interviewers' expressions as well. If they don't maintain eye contact, it may mean they're anxious, irritated, disinterested or that they want the conversation to end. An interviewer who looks up may be uncomfortable, trying to remember something or doesn't believe your answer.

Don't overdo eye contact with interviewers, however. A gaze that lasts longer than seven to 10 seconds can cause discomfort or anxiety. Also, don't stare at interviewers during long silences, since it only increases the tension.

Posture and Gestures

Even if you're motionless, your posture communicates a message. Managers who put their feet up on desks and their hands behind their heads are saying that they feel confident, dominant or superior, a soldier standing at attention is showing deference to authority and a subordinate who stands rigidly with hands on hips signals defiance or dislike.

Confident applicants have relaxed, balanced postures. They hold their bodies upright, walk freely with their arms swinging and take determined strides. Less-assured candidates, on the other hand, have rigid or stooped postures, drag or shuffle their feet when walking and take short, choppy strides.

Strive for posture that's as free and natural as your speaking style, but don't be too controlled or rehearsed, says Ms. Vega, who advises applicants to "let some of the passion out." When your movements are in sync with your words, you'll seem confident, expressive and controlled.

Reading Interviewers

Guard against using similar gestures or betraying your nervousness by clenching or wringing your hands. Other actions that convey stress include holding your legs or arms tensely, perching on the edge of a chair or playing with a watch or ring.

One caveat: Don't imagine a hidden meaning in every gesture. For example, if an interviewer rubs her nose while you're speaking, she may just have an itchy nose. Try to gauge the situation when seeking the meaning to a mannerism. Most experts look for clues in groups of gestures, not random ones.

Nevertheless, communicating the right nonverbal signals can help you convey an enthusiastic, positive and confident attitude during job interviews. And learning to read interviewers' cues can improve your prospects as well.

-- From the archives of the National Business Employment Weekly. The late Mr. Raudsepp, who was president of Princeton Creative Research Inc., a Princeton , N.J., consulting firm, was a frequent NBEW contributor between 1984 and 1995. This article was selected for its continuing relevance

The basic system of communication is the human body; not only the organs of the speech and hearing, but eyes and facial muscles, hands and arms, brain and in many respects the entire body

You who is going to be interviewed must use concentration body language to attract attention. Sit in attentive poise. You can lean forward, adopt an alert posture and use facial expression to encourage and respond to what is being said. Avoid all body language signs that depict a suggestion of tension, doubt, disagreement or dislike.

Body language signs

A touch is the most intimate personal communication, sometimes referred to as ‘intercourse'. Most used is the hand-shake. Let your hand-shake be firm and the shaking cool and deliberate. A pat on the back, the reassuring pressure on the shoulder have a role in social and business life.

Everyone can interpret a blush, a threatening gesture, tension in the hands or rounded mouth, and so on. Smiles, nods, and how we stand or sit, often communicate far more accurately than any words we may utter. It is often possible, through observation, to understand more about an expressed action we cannot hear at the far side of a room, than if we heard the words.

The way we use our bodies is of great importance in face-to-face communication. It can reinforce, weaken or contradict our words. If the mouth says one thing and the body another, we are likely to believe what the body language expresses. We must therefore learn to use to the best advantage the body language and even how to interpret the meaning expressed.

The most common expressions of the language of the body are:-

Interest/boredom, tension/relaxation , Liking/disliking, Belief/incredulity aggression/submission, honesty/deceit etc.

Interest:- Shown by facial expression; nodding and noises of interest and agreement, eye contact, leaning or turning to the speaker, and holding the body still.

Boredom:- Glancing away or at a watch or clock, shuffling papers, frequent change of posture, movement towards a door or exit, and in extreme cases yawning (avoid acting these signs as much as possible).

Belief:- By nodding, a relaxed mouth and a suitably responsive face.

Incredulity:- Producing shaking of head, a tight mouth and widely opened eyes or the deliberate touching of the face. Avoid this.

Liking:- Wide-open eyes, close continuing eye contact, a pleasant and responsive smile, a posture turned and open towards the speaker, possibly by movement towards or touching.

Dislike:- Narrow eyes expression, tense mouth, shut or turned away posture and facial expression. Avoid this.

Tension:- This is in small movements of the body, especially hands or unnatural stillness, a forced posture and tight expression. Sweating. Avoid this.

Relaxation:- Readily seen in posture and expression

Aggression:- Facial expression, glaring eyes, clenched fists, touching the face or head. Avoid this.

Submission:- Down cast eyes, nodding slowly or hunched shoulders.

Honesty:- A frank and open expression.

Deceit:- Lack of or possibly over-insistent eye contact together with small apparently purposeless movement. However, this is hard to rely on, or to detect. Watch out for this and avoid it.

All in all, the body language should be read and understood in the whole context of what is happening.

The Eye contact

Other actions

‘Action speak louder than words.' For every meaning in a word can be communicated in an action. For example, slumming a door behind some one shows anger. All this and many other actions communicate a powerful and immediate message. Be careful the way you act. People see!

The Voice The voice tells more than the words. A shout will be different in message than in a whisper in the words. Looks and gestures convey as much information as the words. Friendliness accompanying words change the meaning of the words. A gentle smile is powerful and effective in silencing somebody. Tonality of the voice tells a lot. Facial expression adds meaning to the words.

Hearing between the lines

For example:-

Q . Were your proposals implemented?

Ans. My report was very well received. The chairman himself congratulated me and the management committee fully accepted my approach and set up a working party.

Q. Were they implemented?

Ans. No!

Evaluation

Usually after the interview, the interviewee is assessed. This involves:-

• judging the credibility and completeness of the reply.
• the interviewee motivations in giving that reply to the asked question and its bearing on other aspects of what the panel needed to know.
• the sensitivity, articulation and logical way of solving problems.
• In conclusion of the interview
  Answering the interviewers' questions from the panel
• Giving an opportunity to the interviewee to make final statements
• Explaining to the interviewee what will happen next
• Final farewell to the interviewee

Note: The interviewee must ask one or two question about:-

Budget, salary scale, the reporting date in case taken, insurance cover, benefit, evaluation appraisal reports and relocation. All these must be done to impress the panel what you think about your progress, and creativity and what you consider important about yourself and the company.

Evaluation criteria

‘The Musts' , ‘the Wants' and the question, ‘What might go wrong if we choose this candidate?'

Examples:-

Musts:-

Be prepared to accept the Ksh. 15000/= basic salary.

Be prepared to travel to North Eastern Province .

Wants:-

• Good appearance/presentation
• Experience of industrial processing skills in the field concerned
• Leadership
• Articulate and well spoken
• Committed and enthusiastic

What might go wrong?