AFFECT? EFFECT? Still Not Clear

The Birmingham News published an excellent article titled "Interview body language" in its Sunday edition (October 11). Based on interviews with Mark Hickson, professor of communication studies at UAB, and Lana Thompson, founder of Thompson and Associates, an HR consulting, training and coaching firm, it offered many tips on appropriate body language for job interviews.



Unfortunately, the author of the article used "affect" incorrectly in the very first paragraph, detracting quite a bit from the professionalism of the message. She wrote:



"What affect can body language have on your job interview?"



Oops! She needed the noun form EFFECT in this slot of the sentence. EFFECT is almost always a noun, and AFFECT is almost always a verb. If you remember that, you will be correct at least 90% of the time, as in the sentence above. (NOTE: If you want to know the unusual circumstances EFFECT can be a verb, send me a comment, and I will do a column just on that.)



This sentence should read as follows:



What effect can body language have on your job interview?



That said, there were still some good tips in the article. Here are several examples:



1. Sit up straight, place your hands in your lap or on the chair arms, and keep your forearms slightly away from your body.



2. Take a file folder with you so you have something to hold. You can put an extra copy of your resume in it.



3. Lean forward a bit when the interview is speaking. Take a breath and lean back when you begin to speak.



If you want to see more of this article, go to al.com and search for the title "Interview body language."