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Researchers studying speed dating discovered that how and when words were said during a four-minute speed date made a huge difference in how daters felt about each other when deciding whether or not they were compatible.

If words matter in dating, then how you use them in an interview can help you win over a hiring manager.

We all know being on time and dressed well will help you in an interview, but letting your confidence come through is a foolproof way to set yourself apart from your competition. You have several chances to demonstrate your confidence on display from the moment you walk into the interview room, start the phone interview, or video interview.

The way you handle yourself during the first minutes of an interview, whether that interview is online, by phone, or in-person, can make or break whether you get the job. Here are some suggestions for demonstrating your self-confidence:

Put a smile on your face. A big, sincere smile exudes trust and people skills.

If the interview is in-person, don’t walk too quickly. With a steady stride that is neither too quick nor too sluggish, approach the interviewer’s desk.

Maintain a slightly higher chin and back shoulders. Actors know their appearance and demeanor are crucial to their performances. Knowing this, they employ a technique in which they hold their shoulders down, chest slightly down, and chin slightly higher than usual. Your body language will improve as a result of this!

Maintain eye contact. The ability to maintain eye contact is a classic sign of self-confidence.

Body language and tone are thought to account for 80% of contact. Don’t be so obvious as to play “Simon Says” with the interviewer; instead, match their body language during the interview.

Make sure you’re sitting tall, smiling, and that your hands are comfortable. Feel free to speak with your hands at times, but don’t go overboard. When they nod, nod back, and pay attention to their body language. Matching your body language is a vital way to connect with someone.

During an interview, listening intently is crucial, similar to #2 above. A hiring manager appreciates it when you acknowledge their concerns with a slight nod. and it also helps if you use their periodically when addressing them.

Don’t look around and fidget because it communicates you’re anxious, preoccupied, or not paying attention. Remember, you can listen effectively by paraphrasing their questions, smiling, nodding, and maintaining your concentration.

It may sound corny, but there’s a reason you have two ears and one mouth! Listening is an essential aspect of successful interviewing!

A sincere compliment delivered can go a long way. If you praise the hiring manager, the organization, or both, your flattery may connect with them beyond the professional and lower the wall between the two of you.

I remember reading something years ago that flattery not only releases oxytocin, the feel-good hormone in your body, but it also releases it in the hiring manager, too.

Creating common ground is one of the most effective psychological techniques s you can use. A quick back-and-forth with anyone of three or more exchanges , often known as “expanding the ladder” in sales, helps to establish common ground.

If it seems appropriate, you can always fall back on college, sports, mutual friends, family — whatever you want. Just try to find common ground with the interviewer early on. Don’t bombard them with questions, but if they say anything like, “I heard you went to X University,” you might respond, “I did! Class of 1971. Did you go to school there?”

You can then use this common ground to form a relationship that will help you advance your career!

What you wear and the colors you choose are essential. You wouldn’t wear all orange to work. Don’t wear the wrong outfit and colors to an interview.

A business suit (male or female) is appropriate for certain organizations, and business casual for others. But what colors can you pair it with?

Do some research to determine which colors to wear to please the hiring manager. But wear what you want!

If they ask a difficult question, in almost every interview, a hiring manager is looking for a few things. The sole aim of interview questions is to determine if you are a good match for the company’s culture, what makes you unique, and whether you can perform the requirements of the position.

Knowing this, you can use it to your advantage and rephrase and expand the question or statement. For instance, you might say something like:

“I know you care a lot about company culture; I have a lot of experience with [insert example of experience]”

“As the hiring manager, your role is to see how well I can do my job, and have done my job. I can assure you that one of the projects we spearheaded while I was with X company…”