Job Interviews: Part 2 - The Hands!

Welcome to Part 2 of The Small Essentials of Interviewing!

Last week’s post on job inteviews focused on your feet. Today, it's time to discuss...

Part Two: Hands.

No doubt about it, your hands will be noticed. You'll shake hands (with a firm, not crushing grip), of course. But your hands are also one of the most prominent methods of nonverbal communication. They can indicate nervous jitters—or confidence and calm. If you “talk with your hands,” try to reign in those gestures and use them only for emphasis, like an exclamation point. However, avoid the other extreme of hiding your hands in your pockets or behind your back. (Another pose to avoid: crossing your arms against your chest.)

Also, make sure your hands are clean and well-groomed, and don’t forget the fingernails! Women who love nail art: different jobs may allow for different kinds of polish, but you can’t go wrong with clean, healthy-looking nails. As for bracelets and rings, less is more, and choose bracelets that both compliment your outfit and do not make even the slightest noise.

Avoid fragrance on your hands. If you have dry hands, make sure your lotion is fragrance-free. If you have sweaty hands, you can actually put deodorant on them just for the interview—just be sure to wash your hands 30 minutes before the interview.

Come back for our next Interviewing Tip! We'll talk about personal space!

Is this the end of Olympic handshakes?

The spirit of friendship

Hand hygiene was the focus of an international disagreement of Olympic proportions – literally.

The British Olympic Association’s (BOA) chief medical officer recently advised against athletes shaking hands with each other at the London Olympics this July, in order to prevent the spread of illness.

However, Australian athletes will most certainly ignore that advice, as the Australian Olympic Committee spokesman Mike Tancred told Agence France-Presse.

“Australian athletes have always extended the hand of friendship and we will most certainly being doing that in London," said Tancred. “For us, someone not shaking hands would be an embarrassment. It's the Australian way.”

Australian athletes, he said, will simply wash their hands regularly and use antiseptic gel when necessary.

If we could, we’d shake Tancred’s hand right now in hearty agreement. After all, handshaking is an integral portion of our curriculum when we train etiquette consultants.

Our trainees in action!

While the origins of the handshake are not completely known, one theory is that it was a gesture of peace—if you were shaking someone’s hand, that meant that the hand wasn’t holding a weapon. In any case, the handshake is a popular greeting all around the world, expressing welcome, friendship, acceptance, peace—all things celebrated by the Olympics.

We understand why the BOA is concerned about germs—the Agence France Presse article notes that “a number of” athletes became ill at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

But consider the advice from the Australian athlete’s medical officer: avoid touching banisters and railings, wash your hands regularly—but don’t avoid shaking hands.

Sounds like good advice for anyone.

N.E.W. Day 3: Welcome Wednesday!

Today is Day 3 of National Etiquette Week, otherwise known around these parts as…

WELCOME WEDNESDAY!

We don’t mean saying, “You’re welcome” (although that’s important, too). We mean creating a welcoming environment for others. How do you do that? With yourself, of course!

Think of three things:

• Your smile. If you want others to feel comfortable around you, give a friendly smile. If you’re worried about looking fake, refer to a mental image of someone or something — a friend, a pet, a good meal, whatever — that really makes you smile. In time you’ll realize you’re smiling because you actually like other people!

• Your handshake. Too strong? Too weak? Strike the right balance with a firm (but not crushing) handshake. Let it last for a moment, but not eons.

• Genuine conversation. This can be very difficult for shy people. If the idea of speaking to strangers (or even friends) at social events strikes fear in your heart, think of a few conversation points beforehand, so you feel prepared. If it’s a spontaneous interaction, try to be yourself — a phrase that may sound meaningless, but should at least remind you to stick to what you know. And remember that an important part of a conversation is taking a break from talking to listen to the other person. Don’t feel like talking much? Ask a few questions, and simply listen to the responses.

See you tomorrow for Day 4 of National Etiquette Week!