Please find a guest post submitted by our friends at Wikijob, particularly valuable in an interview setting or when networking:
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In a world where technology is rapidly changing the way we communicate, it’s more important than ever to brush up on our nonverbal communication skills.
Here are 10 skills you need to learn to communicate effectively with others in 2023 and beyond.
What Is Nonverbal Communication?
Nonverbal communication is an essential part of human interaction. It includes facial expressions, body language, and the use of personal space and physical touch.
Nonverbal communication can convey various emotions, from happiness and excitement to anger and disappointment. It can also be used to reinforce or emphasize verbal messages.
Top 10 Nonverbal Communication Skills
- Eye Contact – Always maintain eye contact. It shows interest and engagement in the conversation. It also makes you appear more trustworthy and confident.
Your eyes are powerful tools for expressing emotions and communicating excitement, sadness, surprise, and everything. Give your conversation partner the gift of attention by making eye contact and holding it.
If you want to convey a specific emotion even while wearing a mask, give your eyebrows a workout by raising them in excitement, lowering them in concern, or furrowing them in confusion. By mastering the art of eye communication, you hold the key to connecting with others on a deeper level.
- Professional Appearance – Dressing for your desired job is more than selecting the appropriate clothes. It’s also an art form that reflects your personality and professionalism, which will set you apart from any crowd of applicants!
- Facial Expressions — Pay attention to your facial expressions and ensure they match the message you’re trying to communicate.
A genuine smile where your eyes smile too, for example, can show you’re friendly and approachable. On the other hand, a scowl can make you seem angry or uninterested.
- Firm Handshake — A firm handshake conveys confidence and shows that you’re sincere. When shaking hands, ensure your grip is firm but not too tight. Look the person in the eye while shaking their hand and give them a sincere smile.
- Use Body Language to Reinforce Communication — Did you know that your body language can speak louder than your words? Using hand gestures and body movements, you can emphasize your points and convey meaning more impactfully.
For instance, a simple thumbs-up is a great way to show agreement, a wave can be used to greet someone, and nodding your head is a powerful tool to indicate understanding.
Lean slightly toward the person speaking to show you’re paying attention. Nod your head occasionally to signal that you understand what they’re saying.
Gestures are a great way to reinforce what you’re saying and emphasize your points. However, it’s important not to overdo it, as it can be distracting.
- Listen Actively — You want to pay close attention during any conversation, especially an interview. A good impression can only happen if you put forth the effort to listen carefully. Here’s an article on active listening skills and how to improve them.
Give yourself time to process what is being said while relating it with your thoughts – this makes for better comprehension on both sides!
- Show Interest — You can show this by using some nonverbal cues during interviews–a little lean forward shows interest while turning slightly in each person’s direction does as well!
It is best to avoid constantly checking the time. Rubbing one’s eyes or yawning reveals an anxious mind: both behaviors indicate disengagement.
- Mind Your Tone — Maintaining a consistent, calm, and polite tone when answering questions from situational interviews is important. Being too loud can make you seem domineering, while being quiet may cause the opposite effect.
- Mind Your Posture — How we stand and move our bodies can communicate much to those around us. You must be aware of how your posture reflects the state, mood, or intent within yourself so it doesn’t cause any confusion on their behalf!
- Maintain Personal Space — When conversing with a colleague, it is best to stay at least 4 feet away from them and avoid getting too close in order not to spark off an awkward situation.
When meeting someone for the first time or during interviews, it’s always better if you can maintain 18 inches of personal space between yourself. Hence, they feel comfortable enough around us while talking.
Final Words
Effective communication is essential for success in any field. While most people focus on honing their verbal communication skills, it’s important to remember that nonverbal communication makes up most of our interactions with others!
Try implementing these 10 nonverbal communication tips into your interactions today and see how they can help improve your relationships with others!
[Editors note: we wanted to add a small post-script to this post to acknowledge that some of the pointers in this article are not always easy or comfortable for neuro-divergent individuals. We would flag some of the additional guidance at the following page: https://www.reading.ac.uk/essentials/Careers/Advice-and-development/Disability-and-Inclusivity. Further support can also be sought from the charity Employ-ability as signposted on the webpage]