Imagine you are getting ready for a job interview. You’ve practiced the tone in the elevator until you can say it backwards. Insightful answers to potential interview questions are ready for you. You’ve researched the company and have some questions for the recruiter. If this sounds like a pre-interview, congratulations on your good preparation. But even with top-notch skills, it may not be enough to land you a job.
Digital creator Erin McGoff regularly posts career advice on Instagram, and recently came up with the 7-38-55 rule based on research from psychologist Dr. Albert Merhabian. And it turns out that this rule may be why your interview goes well (or why it doesn’t).
What the 7-38-55 Rule Means for Your Job Interview
If you haven’t heard of the 7-38-55 rule, here’s the gist: Only 7% of communication is expressed through spoken words, while 38% is achieved through tone of voice, and 55% through posture and facial expressions (so-called body language). And according to McGoff’s Instagram post, focusing on saying the right thing in an interview can distract from the other 93% of your communication, causing you to accidentally come off as jagged, distracted, or unenthusiastic.
Before you think your hiring manager isn’t really listening, Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster, offers a helpful warning. “What you say is the essence of the interview,” says Salemi, noting that skills and experience are still paramount in determining whether someone is right for the role.
She adds that tone of voice and body language though do help support verbal communication. And yes, she says, if she had interviewed two final candidates with very similar skills and experiences, she would have hired the one who showed more interest and enthusiasm for the opportunity.
However, once you’ve nailed down all the main points about why you’re the best person for the role, it’s wise to keep the 7-38-55 rule in mind to make sure you convey your interest and experience in your intonation and body language.
How to use the 7-38-55 rule for your virtual interview
As work-from-home policies and remote jobs become more common, Zoom interviews are also often the norm. Even if you end up with a live interview for a later round, the first interview or two will likely be a video call. Tone of voice and non-verbal communication like posture and eye contact can be a little more difficult to master for a virtual interview, but it’s not impossible. Salemi offers the following tips for a successful interview at home.
You I can make eye contact online.
It’s tempting to look at a person’s face on your screen, but what you should really be looking at is the camera lens. Even though it doesn’t seem like it to you are make eye contact if you simply fixate on that little circle. “Have a big post-it note with an arrow,” suggests Salemi as a reminder of where to focus.
Adopt a posture that feels strong but natural.
Some career experts tout the practice of “power poses” to get you going before an interview or presentation (think: posing like Wonder Woman with your hands on your hips). It’s not Salemi’s style (she actually prefers listening to music), but she recommends sitting or standing during interview in a way that feels natural, yet grounded – literally. Sit up straight, place your feet firmly on the ground and lean over.”[You should] I feel like, ‘I’m in control, I’m in charge here,'” she says. “And try not to slouch.”
Embrace the awkward silence.
Not the kind you get when you forget to turn on the sound, but the kind you get when you’re thinking about the next words. Instead of filling the space with hms and ahs, stop talking until you’re ready. “Often that silence is much longer than it is,” she says. “It can be one second and it feels like a whole minute when in reality we know it’s not.” You can even pause and ask for a moment to collect yourself if you’ve been asked a challenging question that caught you off guard. More often than not, Salemi says, the interviewer will encourage you to take your time.
Salemi’s trick to getting rid of filler is to watch someone on a TV news channel and see how clean and crisp they sound, then practice yourself by recording yourself on your phone. You’ll find filler words that you keep repeating, and then you can get to work removing them.
Finally, Salemi says to make sure you block out any distractions from your phone. “You want to stay focused without any outside distractions,” she says. “It can help you with body language.” And this in turn will help your confidence during the interview.