The Eyes

Looking at someone means showing interest in that person, and showing interest is a

giant step forward in making the right impression. (Remember, each of us is our

own favorite subject!)

Your aim should be to stay with a calm, steady, and non-threatening gaze. It is easy

to mismanage this, and so you may have to practice a bit to overcome the common

hurdles in this area. Looking away from the interviewer for long periods while he is

talking, closing your eyes while being addressed, repeatedly shifting focus from the

subject to some other point: These are likely to leave the wrong impression.

Of course, there is a big difference between looking and staring at someone! Rather

than looking the speaker straight-on at all times, create a mental triangle

incorporating both eyes and the mouth; your eyes will follow a natural, continuous

path along the three points. Maintain this approach for roughly three-quarters of

the time; you can break your gaze to look at the interviewer's hands as points are

emphasized, or to refer to your note pad. These techniques will allow you to leave

the impression that you are attentive, sincere, and committed. Staring will only send

the message that you are aggressive or belligerent.

Be wary of breaking eye contact too abruptly, and shifting your focus in ways that

will disrupt the atmosphere of professionalism. Examining the interviewer below the

shoulders, is a sign of over familiarity. (This is an especially important point to keep

in mind when being interviewed by someone of the opposite sex.)

The eyebrows send a message as well. Under stress, one's eyebrows may wrinkle; as

we have seen, this sends a negative signal about our ability to handle challenges in

the business world. The best advice on this score is simply to take a deep breath and

collect yourself. Most of the tension that people feel at interviews has to do with

anxiety about how to respond to what the interviewer will ask. Practice responses to

traditional interview questions and relax, you will do a great job.