Interview Body Language: What to Do and Avoid

Your body language in an interview shows interviewers how you handle pressure before you finish your first sentence. Projecting quiet confidence requires managing small physical habits—where your hands rest, how you pause, and how you look at the camera—so non-verbal cues support your answers rather than distract from them.

Where should you place your hands during an interview?

Unconscious nervous energy almost always shows up in the hands. People tap pens, clasp their fingers tightly, or tuck their hands beneath the table, all of which convey tension.

• Keep your hands visible on the desk or table. Resting your forearms lightly on the table with open palms or loosely clasped fingers signals ease and openness. In video interviews, frame your camera from the mid-torso up so hand gestures stay in view.
• Anchor your hands during technical explanations. Use controlled gestures to emphasize structure—such as holding one hand slightly out when outlining step one, and shifting slightly for step two—then return them to rest.
• Avoid crossing your arms across your chest. Even if you cross your arms simply because the room feels cold, interviewers frequently read folded arms as defensive or disengaged. Rest them comfortably on armrests or in your lap instead.

How do you fix excessive nodding and nervous habits?

Excessive nodding usually happens when candidates try too hard to display agreement and enthusiasm. Over time, rapid nodding reads as eagerness to please rather than thoughtful alignment.

• Use the single nod and deliberate pause. When the interviewer finishes asking a question, give a single, composed nod, pause for two seconds to organize your thoughts, and begin speaking. The brief silence projects control and depth.
• Plant both feet flat on the floor. Crossing your legs at the knees often invites ankle-shaking or leg bouncing. Keeping your soles planted keeps your spine straight and anchors your lower body against nervous fidgeting.
• Rehearse your delivery aloud beforehand. Running mock questions with a career coach Expert in Destava lets you practice holding steady posture while formulating answers, eliminating nervous filler motions before the actual meeting.

How does eye contact differ between video and in-person interviews?

Video interviews introduce an awkward dilemma: looking at the interviewer's face on your monitor means you are technically looking down and away from the camera lens.

• Look at the camera lens when making key points. When delivering the core conclusion of an answer, glance directly into the lens. To the interviewer, this appears as direct, confident eye contact. Switch back to looking at their screen tile while they speak so you can register their facial reactions.
• Position your webcam at forehead level. Prop your laptop on a stand or books so the camera looks slightly down or straight at you. A low camera angle forces you to tilt your chin down, which can make you appear guarded or hunched over.
• Avoid tracking your own self-view. Hide or minimize your self-view window immediately after checking your lighting and framing. Staring at your own video feed leads to visible eye shifting and breaks connection with the interviewer.

When should you mirror an interviewer's posture?

Mirroring is the natural tendency to adopt the posture, tempo, and demeanor of the person you are speaking with. Used subtly, it fosters rapport; done mechanically, it feels rehearsed and intrusive.

• Match energy and pace rather than exact gestures. If an interviewer speaks deliberately and leans back, lower your speaking cadence and settle back into your chair. If they lean forward onto the table to examine a portfolio item, lean forward slightly with them.
• Never copy micro-gestures immediately. If the interviewer touches their chin or crosses their legs, do not immediately do the same. Allow ten to fifteen seconds to pass before subtly shifting your posture.
• Review the role notes before the call. Keep your preparation focused by checking the application tracker in Destava to review the specific job requirements and the interviewer's background, allowing you to walk into the conversation calm, grounded, and focused entirely on the discussion.