Be plucky/Technical during an interview

Everything You Should and Shouldn't Do With Your Hands During a Job Interview

There’s more to acing an interview than a good CV and solid answers to their questions. Body language plays a big part as well, but if you’re not sure what to do with your hands during a job interview, these tips will help.

 Joe Avella goes over some handy (geddit?) advice from the book Crazy Good Interviewing, by John B. Molidor, Ph.D., and Barbara Parus. When you sit down with your interviewer, do:

• Show your palms: Revealing your palms evokes truth, honesty, and allegiance.
• Steeple your fingers: Touching the tips of your fingers together like a politician or Mr Burns on The Simpsons shows confidence.

Don’t:

• Hide your palms: Laying your hands flat on the table or desk in front of you is a sign of dominance, as if you’re trying to take control of the situation.
• Conceal your hands: Hiding your hands suggests that, well, you have something to hide. Keep them out of your lap and pockets.
• Tap your fingers: It shows impatience and it’s distracting.

You should also avoid folding your hands in your arms, overdoing hand gestures to emphasise a point (a little is OK, but don't pretend you're Tony Blair...), and never play with things on the table.

Body language can make or break an interview, so always be aware of how you act and how others might perceive you.