When you are seeking Canadian university jobs you might be open to a whole new world of communication. Where science, human behaviour and knowledge reign supreme there will be many ways you might be judged during your job interview. Both HR professionals and well educated scholars alike tend to be experts in the human condition. Being conscious of the messages you might be sending using hand gestures could help you avoid being misread, or worse aptly read, during your job interviews.
Handling Yourself
You might not feel that you are one to gesture frequently with your hands, but how you handle yourself during an interview for Canadian University jobs can have much to do with your hands and body language. Every nuance of your movements and positions you hold with your hands can be sending off subtle messages to the interviewer, or panel considering your application. There are many common signs people read when speaking to you such crossed arms or hands which show you are closing yourself off or even protecting yourself during the conversation. The more tension when doing this the less comfortable you will appear with the conversation.
Sending Messages
Try to be conscious of the messages you might be sending. Focus on appearing engaged and interested. Resting a thumb on your chin with your finger on your face shows you are interested. It also shows intelligence and that you are evaluating their comments in order to respond effectively. Just the slightest change from this position in which your finger or fingers are over your mouth instead of on your face means you are not feeling positive about the conversation and that you are trying to hold back from saying something negative. This is doubly damaging if you have a hand over your mouth which looks like you are trying to control what you say.
Hand over Fist
A hand position considered less negative is sitting with your hands together like you are praying. This means you are confident with the conversation and the direction the questions are leading. Fists can be very aggressive and communicate you are inflexible and unyielding. If your thumbs are tucked into your fist you look like you are trying to offer yourself comfort and strength.
Being conscious of your hand gestures during interviews for Canadian university jobs might give you an edge over the competition.
When you are seeking Canadian university jobs use the online resource for positions in higher education at Edu Jobs Canada.
