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Running head: NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW Interpersonal Communication: Nonverbal Communication in a Job Interview Hannah Brown University of Kentucky 1 NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW 2 Abstract Job interviews are a setting specifically in which first impressions are extremely important. The impression a job applicant makes on their potential employer is based on two things during the interview itself: what the applicant says, and the way the applicant communicates with the interviewer nonverbally. More times than not, it has been proven that nonverbal communication during these interviews is more important than what the applicant says. Nonverbal cues during an interview can either make or break the chances the applicant has at receiving the job at hand. Throughout this literature review, five different research studies will be analyzed to reveal the importance of nonverbal communication during a job interview. These studies will expand on if nonverbal communication can determine meaningful personality attributions, gender differences in self-awareness of smiling, media bias, the interaction of gender, verbal, and nonverbal cues in same-sex first encounters, among other topics as well. The key point linking these research studies reveals that nonverbal communication is a prominent deciding factor in a job interview. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW 3 Nonverbal Communication in a Job Interview Nonverbal communication is a vital component of interpersonal communication. Nonverbal communication is defined as “messages expressed by nonlinguistic means” (Adler, 2007). Adler describes several distinguishable characteristics of nonverbal communication. First, nonverbal skills are vital. Second, all behavior has communicative value. Third, nonverbal communication is primarily relational. Fourth, nonverbal communication serves a variety of functions, including repeating, complementing, substituting, accenting, regulating, and contradicting. Next, nonverbal communication offers deception clues. Last, nonverbal communication is ambiguous. Also, Adler claims there are certain influences on nonverbal communication. These include gender and cultural differences. There are also many different types of ways to communicate nonverbally. First, there is body movement, including body orientation, posture, gestures, face, and eyes. Second, voice is a determinant of nonverbal communication. Third, touch influences nonverbal communication. Fourth, appearance is another way to communicate nonverbally, including physical attractiveness and clothing. Another component of nonverbal communication is physical space, including distance and territoriality. Next, physical environment affects nonverbal communication. Last, time is a determinant of nonverbal communication. The research question of this topic that will be analyzed is “How much of your emotion is revealed through nonverbal cues during a job interview?” This will be accomplished through examining several different research studies completed on this topic. Current research is also still being completed; hence, this topic is still developing as further research findings are reported. (Adler, 2007) During job interviews, it is possible that nonverbal cues can be used to make meaningful personality attributions in employment interviews. This claim was exemplified in a research NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW 4 study completed by DeGroot and Gooty. This article looks at studying the connections between nonverbal cues and performance in interviews due to personality attributes. Personality traits of the job applicant affect the interviewer’s evaluation of their suitability for the job. To conduct this study, a specific structure for an interview for a company was developed in which the company sought management potential. Because this interview was structured and different interviewers evaluated the same candidate different ways, reveals that the interviewers must have been picking up on something else during the interview that was not derived from their verbal answers to the prompted questions. This study revealed several important things. First, it revealed that no matter how structured the interview was nonverbal cues caused the interviewers to assign specific characteristics to the job applicants. Second, specific characteristics revealed certain connections in this study. Conscientiousness explained the connection between visual cues and interview ratings. Extroversion explained the connection between vocal cues and interview ratings. Neuroticism gave a negative connotation for visual and vocal cues. This study continues to infer that if nonverbal cues are ridden off as bias, job related behavior and information would be more easily focused on. Also, this study proves that although interviewers are trained to be unbiased, they still pick up on nonverbal cues and respond to them. This is attributed to cultural socialization, which means that humans respond to nonverbal behavior by natural instinct. In conclusion, this article revealed that nonverbal communication may affect interview judgments of the job applicant, regardless of the applicants’ qualifications or answers to the interviewers’ questions. (DeGroot & Gooty, 2009) Another theme of nonverbal communication is that it attempts to expand on sex differences in self-awareness of smiling during a mock job interview. A second research study analyzing this theme was completed by Woodzicka. This study researched the difference NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW 5 between men and women in their awareness of smiling during a job interview. Obviously, men and women communicate very differently in a social setting, but this study questioned if this extended to communication during job interviews for the same position. The major difference between nonverbal communication of men and women is smiling, in that women tend to smile more often than men. This could be linked to a variety of reasons, including smiling in women could be linked to less social power, subordinate feelings, the need to please, or gender norms. Also, women who do not smile are judged more harshly than men who do not smile. Several studies reveal that women are expected to smile and believed to be smiling more than men. However, a more prominent question this study expands, are women more self-aware that they are smiling? This study took into account whether men and women were aware of false smiling. Also, self-awareness of smiling during a job interview could be important because at least one type of smile has been found to lead to negative ratings. However, it is important to judge the type of smile and the context of the situation in which the smile was shown. Studies reveal that genuine smiles give ratings of increased sincerity, and the likelihood to hire the job applicant; whereas, non-genuine smiles give negative evaluations of competence and intelligence of the job applicant. Finally, this study looked to reveal the intended outcomes of smiling. This study revealed that women were more aware of false smiling, and used false smiling to hide negative feelings and pretend to be more animated. Interviewers rated women who false smiled more negatively than men who false smiled. In conclusion, this article revealed that a simple act of nonverbal communication such as smiling can be a big determinate of the likelihood of whether the job applicant will be hired, and also that there are different societal expectations for men and women for smiling during a job interview. (Woodzicka, 2008) NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW 6 A third theme involved in nonverbal communication is examining the media bias in interviewers’ nonverbal behavior. A third research study discussing this theme was completed by Babad and Peer. This article looks to reveal the effect media has on an interviewer prior to giving a job interview. Media plays a strong role because of its implications of influence on the public, and its influence on viewers. For this issue, bias and distortions become prominent to understand the processing of information in persuasion. The effects of media bias are evident in public broadcasting, especially in times of crisis. In this study, interviewers watched a political interview with either a friendly or a hostile interviewer. Then the interviewer rated the impression of the job applicant, whose behavior was constant in both scenarios. This study wanted to find potential cognitive remedies, investigate the effect of attitude similarity on media bias, and to analyze the media bias effect. In conclusion, this article revealed that experiences of the interviewer that immediately precede the interview can determine greatly the perception they can have of the person they are interviewing. If they witnessed a positive event before the interview, they were more likely to give the person they were interviewing a better evaluation. In contrast, if they witnessed a negative event prior to the interview, the interviewer was more likely to take out their frustrations on the person they were interviewing, thus giving them a poor evaluation. (Babad & Peer, 2010) A fourth theme regarding nonverbal communication during a job interview explores the interaction of sex, verbal, and nonverbal cues in same-sex first encounters. Another research study examining this topic was completed by Gore. This study explored the differences between men and women in response to verbal and nonverbal content during an interaction with an interviewer of the same sex. A relationship is built on the perceived quality of interactions between two individuals. This quality is determined by how much the two like each other, NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW 7 engage in deep conversations, feel close, feel validated, and feel the other is responsive to their needs. These perceptions are developed over time throughout the relationship. The interviewee disclosed either superficial or emotional information to the interviewer. This study suggests that often what is not said during an encounter is more important than what is said. People express emotions not only by what they say, but in their facial expressions, body position, and posture. This article also explains that some theorists argue that the naturalness of nonverbal communication makes the interaction seem more authentic. In this way, nonverbal communication can supplement and regulate verbal information that is conveyed. Also, this article suggests that three primary nonverbal communication acts convey positive or negative emotions. These include eye contact, body posture, and directedness. This study revealed that men responded to verbal communication to assess the appropriateness of their disclosure. In conclusion, this article provided a general background into nonverbal communication between two people and what is conveyed during their interaction, and it revealed that in interactions between two people in a professional setting, much more can be revealed by the candidate through nonverbal communication in addition to what is said verbally. (Gore, 2009) A fifth and final research topic studied nonverbal communication in the career interview in general. A research study analyzing this topic was completed by Bladel. In this study, the author presents guidelines for achieving successful nonverbal communication in an interview. The job candidate can dress conservatively, groom himself/herself appropriately, and choose accessories carefully. The job candidate is able to handle chronemic factors by arriving on time and following the lead of the interviewer throughout the interview. The job candidate can choose positive behaviors during the interview if he/she knows what to expect. The job candidate should limit touching to handshakes only. The job candidate should display favorable kinesic features. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW 8 This includes good posture, pleasant facial expressions, and appropriate eye contact. The job candidate increases his chances of portraying a confident image through fluent and articulate expression of ideas and responses to questions during the interview. There is no magical formula for achieving successful nonverbal communication in a job interview, preparation for the interview increases performance. Awareness, preparation, and rehearsal of appropriate nonverbal communication are keys to the self-marketing essential to competing for jobs. (Bladel, 1993) In conclusion, nonverbal cues in a job interview reveal a lot about the job applicant. Nonverbal communication covers a broad category of different ways to communicate. There are several distinguishing characteristics of nonverbal communication, influences on perception, and several types of nonverbal cues. In general, nonverbal communication has shown to influence performance on job interviews. The first research study discussed revealed nonverbal communication may affect interview judgments of the job applicant, regardless of the applicants qualifications or answers to questions. The second research study discussed revealed a simple act of nonverbal communication can be a determinate of the likelihood of whether the job applicant will be hired, and also that there are different societal expectations for men and women for smiling during a job interview. The third research study discussed revealed experiences of the interviewer that immediately precede the interview can determine greatly the perception they can have of the person they are interviewing. The fourth research study discussed revealed in interactions between two people in a professional setting, much more can be revealed by the candidate through nonverbal communication. The final research study discussed revealed awareness, preparation, and rehearsal of appropriate nonverbal communication are keys to increasing performance in a job interview. In general, these studies agree with topics discussed by Adler regarding nonverbal communication. Although a lot of information regarding nonverbal NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW communication has been research, it is still a developing field in which research is still being found. The research discussed is currently found to be relevant. However, research relating to this topic is ongoing. Further developments in research relating to nonverbal communication in job interviews would help to continue the progression of this topic. 9 NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN A JOB INTERVIEW 10 References Adler, R.B. & Proctor, R.F. (2007) Looking Out Looking In. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cenage Learning. Babad, E., & Peer, E. (2010). Media Bias in Interviewers’ Nonverbal Behavior: Potential Remedies, Attitude Similarity and Meta-analysis. Journal Of Nonverbal Behavior, 34(1), 57-78. doi:10.1007/s10919-009-0078-x Bladel, D. N. (1993). Nonverbal Communication in the Career Interview. Florida Communication Journal, 21(2), 54-62. DeGroot, T., & Gooty, J. (2009). Can Nonverbal Cues be Used to Make Meaningful Personality Attributions in Employment Interviews?. Journal Of Business & Psychology, 24(2), 179192. doi:10.1007/s10869-009-9098-0 Gore, J. (2009). The Interaction of Sex, Verbal, and Nonverbal Cues in Same-Sex First Encounters. Journal Of Nonverbal Behavior, 33(4), 279-299. doi:10.1007/s10919-0090074-1 Woodzicka, J. (2008). Sex Differences in Self-awareness of Smiling During a Mock Job Interview. Journal Of Nonverbal Behavior, 32(2), 109-121. doi:10.1007/s10919-0070046-2