As a shy individual, the thought of interviewing tactics for an internship or a job may develop extreme anxiety even when you are just thinking about what you’re going to say. You might think to yourself, “how can I possibly talk about myself in a positive light when I really have nothing to say.” The reality is that there are several advantages to being shy which can be very helpful for an internship or job interview.

Interviewing tactics are usually not an easy situation for anyone but for someone who tends to be on the shy in social situations, just the thought of speaking to someone about their knowledge, skills and initial academic and professional experiences can be extremely challenging and even a little scary.

The great news is that there are tactics you can use to assist prepare yourself before going into any interview. These interviewing tactics can assist change your perception of the situation and help you prepare so that you’re bound to get a more positive result. Many interviews fail because of a lack of effective communication.

As an interviewee, two things you require considering are your verbal and nonverbal communication. It’s extremely significant that you understand and master how you come across to other people.

It is through your interactions with the employer that will determine the end result. Since first impressions are usually made within the first 60 seconds of any interaction, it’s key that your grooming, confidence, and nonverbal behavior form a positive response. The first and last minute of any interview is critical– so using those two minutes to wow the employer can increase your chances of being selected for the internship or the job.

Major Tips to Impress an Employer at the Start and End of Any Interview

First off it is significant to focus on your nonverbal behavior. Nonverbal behavior can either make or break an interview even before saying a word. It is often nonverbal behavior that speaks the loudest while it’s something we may be least aware of when preparing for an interview.

Top 5 Nonverbal Behaviors for Successful Interviewing tactics

1. Dress for Success First and foremost, if a candidate shows up for an interview poorly groomed and wearing street clothes, there is commonly nothing that can happen in the interview that will help change the interviewer’s first impression. It’s important to understand the company environment to decide on the appropriate dress, but good grooming can also turn the interviewer off if an applicant is slack in his/her personal hygiene. In addition to dress and grooming, attention to detail is important as well. It includes well-manicured fingernails, polished shoes with small or no heel, little jewelry, and no perfume. Any type of body art or tattoos should also be downplayed as much as possible.
2. Direct Eye Contact Being capable to look someone directly in the eye when speaking shows confidence and creates credibility in what you have to say. Have you ever spoken to someone who seems distracted and fails to maintain eye contact when they are speaking? How did you feel? Usually, a deficiency of direct eye contact when listening or speaking leaves the other person feeling disconnected and with a sense that the person lacks confidence and an ability to stand by their convictions. It can also make the other person doubt what you have to say and question your skills and ability to do the job since you fail to look them in the eye when speaking. Maintaining direct eye contact can be easy to learn once you are aware of its importance. To ensure that you are looking someone in the eye, be certain to ask a trusted family member or friend how you’re doing.

3. Good PostureMaintaining good posture throughout the interview indicates confidence in yourself and interest in what the other person has to say. Again, like direct eye contact, good posture is mainly about awareness and understanding its importance. Leaning forward slightly also shows the interviewer that you are engaged in the conversation and interested in learning more about the position and the company.

Facial Expressions One of the first pieces of advice I give when assisting someone prepare for an interview is – don’t forget to smile. Smiling indicates a sense of confidence and also shows the employer that you really want the job. A good sense of humor can also be very appealing, but it’s important to take the interviewer’s lead and avoid telling any jokes.

Appropriate Body Language Small hand gestures and movement of the body are things to consider when interviewing tactics for a shy person. Some people tend to be more expressive than others, but the key here is to use adequate hand gestures and body movements that will not overwhelm the interviewer.