Perceptions of the importance of verbal versus nonverbal communication in job interviews : a quantitative study

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of University students’ perceptions concerning communication in employment interviews, with particular reference to verbal and nonverbal cues. Previous research indicates that verbal cues have an essential impact on the interviewer while nonverbal cues are also very influential. Various nonverbal cues such as smile, eye contact or appearance have been found to affect the interviewer. This study examines the opinions and beliefs concerning verbal and nonverbal communication and the influence they have on the interviewer and the hiring decision. A quantitative methodology was adopted using a purposely designed questionnaire to gather data from a sample of University of Malta students. The results found that participants’ perceptions were similar to the findings in the reviewed research. The interview was the preferred selection procedure for the majority of participants. Moreover, first impressions were believed to have a great influence on the interviewer. The results for the importance of verbal versus nonverbal cues were mixed. When asked directly most participants stated that they believed verbal cues to be more important. However, when rating specific verbal and nonverbal cues, nonverbals were perceived to be slightly more important. This study advances our understanding of university students’ perceptions about communication in employment interviews particularly in relation to verbal and nonverbal cues.