Presence and Non-Verbal Communication
How to look and sound calm and engaged in person and on video, and what to do with nerves, so the interviewer can focus on your answers.
Overview
No interviewer writes 'good posture' on a scorecard. What they score is your answers. But how you show up decides how easily they can follow those answers. If the audio echoes, your face is dark, or you rush and trail off, they spend their attention on the noise instead of your story.
So think of presence as removing friction. On video, that means a clear picture and clean sound. In person, it means looking at the person you are talking to and keeping your hands still. In both, it means a steady pace and short pauses instead of filler words.
Be careful with popular advice here. Many claims about body language are weaker than they sound. For example, a 2010 study of 42 people said 'power posing' changed hormone levels and risk-taking. A 2015 replication with 200 people found no effect on hormones or on risk-taking, though people did say they felt more powerful. Dana Carney, the lead author of the 2010 study, has since said she does not believe power pose effects are real. Use the simple, practical habits below instead.
- Sound — Clear voice, no echo, no background noise — Echo, dropouts, typing noise
- Pace — Steady, with short pauses to think — Rushed, or long silences with no word
- Attention — Looks at the camera or the speaker — Eyes on notes or a second screen
- Stillness — Calm hands and posture — Fidgeting, swiveling, touching the face
- Warmth — Friendly greeting and thanks — Flat or distracted
What you will be able to do
- Set up camera, light and sound for a video interview in ten minutes.
- Use pace and pauses so your answers sound thought through.
- Handle nerves with preparation and simple breathing, without myths.
- Recover calmly when something goes wrong mid-interview.
Interview questions
- How do I come across well in a video interview?
- How do I project confidence in person and in my voice?
- How do I handle nervousness?
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