The Ultimate Body Language Book

meeting, so as to either, remedy the pitch in the future or rework the meeting on the fly.
Chapter 5 – Seeing Eye To Eye – A Look At The Language Of The Eye
Eye Contact During A Job Interview
Eye contact during an interview has been repeatedly found to have a powerful influence on the
interviewer. Interviewees who hold good eye contact tend to receive more favourable hiring decisions,
to be rated more positively and to be rated more suitable for jobs requiring self confidence.
The most appropriate types of eye contact in an interview have been shown through research to be
about two to three second bursts of eye contact followed by looking away. Looking down continuously
or avoiding eye contact altogether, or conversely, holding extended eye contact can all result in poor
judgment. Continuous shifting of the eyes around the room can come off as dishonest and can make
people think that you are expecting to be bust at anytime. For what, the interviewee doesn’t know, but
he will remain suspicious nonetheless. Looking toward the door or appearing distracted by what is
going on outside a window will only serve to demonstrate your lack of interest in the job position and
negative feelings will be attached to you personally. Poor eye contact might also be taken by the
interviewer personally and he may become offended. As interviewees, we must pay particular attention
to good eye contact while listening and while speaking. Most of us are good at one, but not both, but
being aware of our shortcomings is at least a good first step. So don’t dismiss good eye language in an
interview and follow the patterns described above: two to three second bursts of eye contact followed
by looking away.
Chapter 5 – Seeing Eye To Eye – A Look At The Language Of The Eye
When And How To Use The Eyebrow Flash
Some recent research has shown that the eyebrow flash is most effective when it takes place between
people who are already acquainted, but it can also be effective amongst potential suitors. Over a
crowded room, the eyebrow flash can express interest and curiosity in someone of the opposite sex and
can even make someone believe that you have already met and so create familiarity. That being the
case, the eyebrow flash can also be taken as offensive, create anxiety or even hostility, and put people
off if no natural attraction is present. Therefore, the eyebrow flash can be risky, but with someone with
nothing to lose, can be neatly rewarded.
In a study by John Martin conducted in 1997 which he titled “Slaughtering a sacred cow: The eyebrow
flash is not a universal social greeting” he found that the eyebrow flash was totally ineffective between
strangers and sometimes even produced negative emotions. He found that people who were eye flashed
keep more personal space between themselves and the flashers. The head nod and smile, he found,
elicited a much better result, but a smile added to an eyebrow flash performed just as poorly. The
eyebrow flash, however, was well received by those already acquainted to the flasher highlighting the
importance of having a previous history with someone and reaffirming the likelihood that the greeting
is a gesture amongst the familiar. Eyebrow flashes were also better received across the sexes then
within the sexes. Therefore, it follows that a head nod and smile is appropriate for stranger, whereas an
eyebrow flash is more effective to acquaintances.