One of my core beliefs is that being fit helps us live our greatest life.
While fitness provides a myriad of benefits, both physical and mental, it can also have very practical benefits across many areas that are important to us.
In this post, we’ll explore if fitness can help us with the area of career. More specifically, we’ll look at the question: Can being fit actually help you get a better job (by helping you ace your job interview)?
BETTER POSTURE MEANS MORE CONFIDENCE
First, let’s start with the notion that making a great first impression on a job interview is critical. One key to making a good first impression is your posture. This is partly because good posture makes you appear more confident, and partly because keeping a positive posture make your thoughts more positive. A study in the European Journal of Social Psychology examined how posture can affect our thinking. Study participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their strengths and weaknesses, while sitting in a confident posture (back erect, chest out) and while sitting in a doubtful posture (back curved, slouched forward). The results showed that the participants who were sitting in confident posture answered the self evaluation questions more positively than when they sat in a doubtful posture.
To keep a good posture, be sure to do core exercisers, which will help keep your posture erect, and do back exercises, especially rows, which will help pull your shoulders back and prevent your from slouching.
BETTER MOOD AND BETTER ENERGY MAKES A BETTER EMPLOYEE
It has been said that exercise can improve your mood, which can trigger what’s known as the ‘Halo effect’. This term, coined by psychologist Edward Thorndike, explains how we focus on the good qualities in the people we like and overlook the ones that need work, which will definitely give you an advantage in the interview. Similarly, researcher Jacob Drannan from Bangkok University conducted a study that shows how exercise increases productivity and energy, which in turn, can be used to in the workplace, adding another factor towards the hiring manager saying ‘yes’.
To keep your mood positive, considering doing a HIIT cardio workout with the Motion Traxx fitness app before your interview. This will get your endorphins going, which will boost your mood.
BEING OVERWEIGHT MAY GIVE THE WRONG IMPRESSION
Believe it or not, a factor that is subtly taken into consideration when hiring is the job candidate’s weight. A number of studies, including one published by PubMed center, show how overweight candidates were viewed as ‘less suitable’ for the work environment than other candidates with normal weight. Some of these conclusions are based in stereotypes and assumption that go something like this: ‘If someone is not taking care of their own health, then how would they be able to take care of a task at the company?’ While this is not always an accurate conclusion, it is an unfortunate part of the hiring process of which one must be aware. Therefore, it is important to develop healthy fitness habits so this situation does not happen to you.
Staying at a normal weight is primarily related to your nutritional choices. To keep that belly flat, consider switching to the Paleo diet. I have personally had a lot of success with this eating philosophy.
So, as you can see, being fit can impact many areas of your life, including your career. So the next time you’re dreading hitting that treadmill, keep in mind that your next sweat session can actually help you ace your next interview.
Happy earning,
Deekron ‘The Fitness DJ’