Dear Career Coach

My company has undergone a restructure and my job is now at risk. To avoid redundancy, I have been applying for jobs in other areas of my firm. My first interview was not successful and I have had feedback that my body language was very negative. I was feeling quite nervous and anxious about the whole process and would like your advice on what I need to do to improve in this area?

Interviews can be a stressful experience but they are a necessary evil if you want to get the job offer you are looking for.

Take the feedback you have been given in a positive way and try to make some changes to the way you are viewing the interview process. While you are understandably keen to find a new role within your company, if you come across as being desperate or anxious, it will be off-putting to the people interviewing you as they search for someone to join their team.

As part of your preparation for your interview, therefore, you will need to try and remain as calm and as relaxed as possible so that your body language can project you as a more confident and assured candidate. As body language experts will attest, what we communicate in our interactions with others is only partially based on the words we say. It is estimated that 85% of what we communicate is not with words, but through the tone of our voice, the way we sit and a wealth of other messages that our body involuntarily sends.

Try some of the following tips to help you project the confidence that you want a recruiter to see:

Above all, bear in mind that you have what it takes to do the job and be prepared to talk about how your skills and experience will be useful to the team you want to join.

An interview can be a great conversation if you take the pressure off yourself and relax. That way, you and your body can speak the same language.

All the best!