The Hidden Power of Smiling in Your Job Search

By Jessica Howington, Senior Content Manager

Without even knowing it, we have one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal—smiling. The smile and its untapped power are immense, as shared in a TED talk by Ron Gutman about the power of smiling. Researchers have even used the smile to evaluate overall happiness, success, life span, and judgment.

So, how does the basic biological uniform expression of all humans tie into your job search? Well, for starters, smiling simply makes us feel better.

Basics of the Smile

To understand the benefits of a simple smile, let’s examine some of the items discussed in the TED talk by Ron Gutman.

Here’s a breakdown of the big ideas:

All humans have the ability to smile—even in utero.
All humans, even from remote tribes away from any civilization, smile to express joy and satisfaction.
Children smile about 400 times per day, whereas only about a third of adults smile more than 20 times per day.
One smile can stimulate your brain.
Smiling helps to reduce stress-enhancing hormones.
Smiling increases mood-enhancing hormones.
Smiling makes you appear more likable, more polite, and more competent.

Smiling and Your Job Search

So, how can you apply the power of smiling to your job search? You can use it as a tool to not only reduce your stress and increase your overall satisfaction, but you can also use it to make a good impression on others.

Here are a few instances when smiling will help you in your job search:

Smiling will help trigger feel-good hormones that will reduce stress and increase a positive mood.
Smiling can help clear your mind and improve your judgment.
Smiling during networking can make you appear more likable and approachable.
Smiling while interviewing will make you appear more competent and confident to those on the other side of the table or screen.
Smiling when meeting with others will show you to be more courteous.
Smiling while talking on the phone will improve the sound of your voice and make a better impression.

Although smiling is one of the most basic forms of human expression, it is one of the most powerful tools you can use to communicate and connect. Your smile and the enthusiasm that naturally comes from it can also leave a lasting impression during the hiring process.

Smile More With a Flexible Job

Having more balance in our lives and less stress tends to create more happiness...and more smiling! FlexJobs is here to help you find that balance. From specialized career coaching services to a healthy database of thousands of flexible jobs, there's loads to smile about. Take the tour to learn how FlexJobs can empower your search!

Take the Tour

Don't forget to share this article with friends!