You may not realize it but your body language can say a great deal about your present state of mind and it is extremely important to make sure that you are radiating a positive vibe during an interview.

Your nonverbal actions can speak volumes to the hiring manager who is knowledgeable in decoding body language and your personal demeanor can become the make or break point of the interview.

To ensure that your body language won’t betray you and has a positive impact on your interview, here are some tips on mastering body language basics:

Hands to Your Side

Always keep your arms at your sides and your hands resting nicely on your lap. Crossed arms send a negative message that you are defensive and ready to pounce at the slightest annoyance. Likewise, keep your hands still and refrain from fidgeting, tapping, excessive gesturing, fixing your hair or anything equally annoying.

Practice Your Handshake

Your mastery of the handshake is important because it is the only time during an interview that you will actually come in physical contact with the interviewer.  A warm, firm handshake represents a sign of confidence whereas a weak handshake is an indication of a passive or insecure individual.  It is always best to shake hands when standing up and to extend your hand first if possible which will demonstrate your self-confidence. Additionally, make sure that your hands are dry, clean and odor-free; an interviewer won’t be pleased to smell your lunch on their hands.

Check Your Posture

It is important to be conscious of your posture. If you are sitting across the desk from the interviewer, remain centered without leaning forward or backward and keep your back straight. Leaning forward into the interviewer signals aggression and slouching can be misinterpreted as arrogant or lazy. If you are sitting in a chair but there isn’t a desk between you and the interviewer, keep your back straight and be mindful of your legs and feet. Cross your legs avoiding any leg swinging or keep your knees together and rest your hands on your lap; do not rest your elbows on your knees!

Eye Contact

Direct eye contract with your interviewer will demonstrate that you are focused, confident and interested in what the interviewer is talking about, however, excessive staring can make the interviewer uncomfortable and suggest anxiety or fear on your part. Avoid undesirable eye movements including shifting your eyes from side to side or up and down; this can be misconstrued that you lack confidence or you aren’t being truthful in your responses.

Don’t ruin the positive rapport that you worked hard to build during the interview by letting your guard down on the way out the door. As you make your way through the establishment, maintain a comfortable pace and make sure you are walking straight and tall which exhibits power and self-assurance.  For more interview tips, check out Career Builder’s blog.

This was a guest post for TheEmployable