Nonverbal Communication (eye contact, gestures, and posture) are important ingredients
throughout selection interviews. Scott Reeves reports a typical example in which an applicant
looked very strong on paper but “offered a dead fish handshake, slouched and fidgeted in his
chair, failed to make eye contact with the interviewer and mumbled responses to basic
questions.” He was not hired. Arden cites a study that found “a first impression is based on
7% spoken words, 38% tone of voice and 55% body language.” Interviewers react more
favorably toward applicants and rate them higher if they smile, have expressive facial
expressions, maintain eye contact, and have clear, forceful voices. Technology plays important
roles in the employment process, but recruiters interview applicants because they prefer “high
touch” to “high tech” when selecting people who will join and influence the futures of their
organizations. They want to see, hear, and observe you in action.