The Right Smile May Get You The Right Job

Smiling big and smiling often has many health benefits for us. The act of smiling improves mood and increases self-confidence and self-esteem. It also makes us seem more emotionally available to other people, so it increases our chances of making friends and even finding romance. Another benefit of smiling is that it will serve you well in job interviews and help you get the right job.

While you should be professional in your job interview, a well-timed smile will make you look more friendly and accessible to the job interviewer. If you are interviewing for a customer service job, having people skills is of vast importance. Showing that you know how to engage with people and make them feel comfortable is like a test of your abilities, and the interviewer will likely be impressed. Even if the position is a serious one, people naturally feel positively when others smile at them. This works even with the person you are interviewing with. Leaving your interview with the interviewer in a good mood makes it more likely you will get a job offer.

What if you need to do a phone interview? Would smiling be necessary? Some research shows that smiling even if you’re on the phone will carry over to your tone of voice and help you sound more pleasant. So, even though the interviewer can’t see your face, he or she can tell you’re smiling and will react accordingly. Your friendly tone resulting from a smile will help you score a job, even over the phone.

Part of having a confident smile is taking care of your teeth. Floss and brush your teeth every day to keep them looking their best, and consider a teeth whitening program if you want them to look like pearly whites. Having an attractive smile appeals to people. Try to avoid drinking a lot of coffee or smoking tobacco — those habits make your teeth look yellow and might make you feel self-conscious about your smile. It would be a shame not to smile because you’re embarrassed of your teeth!

Job interviews are hard enough already, so smiling to break up the seriousness of it could lead to a friendly conversation with your interviewer. They’ll leave with the impression that you are confident, nice and outgoing. Those three traits are almost always positive to have in a job. Next time you go to an interview, smile!