Little unintentional signals can be interpreted by your interviewer to make you seem like the real deal OR the imposter. If you’ve had body language coaching and been encouraged to always adopt one particular style – think again.
We all know that despite Tony Blair claiming to stand shoulder to shoulder with George W Bush for example, we often witnessed shots of him looking uncomfortable, being ushered into aeroplanes and doorways by the far more assertive President Bush. He was clearly number two to the US rooster in this particular pecking order.
Now imagine if Blair was buying and Bush was selling, but the body language remained constant. Would Blair buy? Who knows, but I expect he’d feel uncomfortable.
So, if you’ve been taught to give an aggressive hand-shake, to laugh at every mildly amusing point, to pat someone on the back, or to NOT fold your arms, REMEMBER, it really is a case of horses for courses. And what does a successful horse do? Adapts to the particular circumstance.
That’s why simply mirroring your interviewer’s body language is usually the most effective method. You are adapting and in doing so, putting your interviewer at ease.