Why do interviews fail? Ankoor Warikoo shares 7-38-55 rule for guaranteed success in any interview

Fresher or experienced, when it comes to interviews, the jitters spare no one. No matter how much you prepare your answers, rehearse, and walk into the room confidently, thinking you’ve done everything right.

Yet something might not just click, and you get a polite “we will get in touch.” So, what went wrong? Often it isn’t the content of your answers, it’s how you delivered them.That’s the insight that Indian entrepreneur, author, and content creator Ankur Warikoo recently shared in a LinkedIn post, and explained that while many interview candidates fixate on what to say, they underestimate how much the tone of voice and body language actually shape the outcome. He talks about the 7-38-55 rule, and explains that only 7% of success in an interview depends on what you speak, while the remaining 93% is shaped by nonverbal communication, which is 38% from tone, confidence, and vocal clarity, while 55% depends on your body language.If you’ve ever wondered why you performed “technically fine” and still got passed over, this might be your answer. Let’s unpack the rule, situate it in communication research, show how Warikoo applies it to interviews, and provide actionable guidance for anyone preparing for a high-stakes interview.

The 7-38-55 rule: Origins and meaning

The “7-38-55” numbers originate from the work of psychologist Albert Mehrabian, best known for his publications on the relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages. His research focused on how people interpret emotive messages when verbal and non-verbal signals were inconsistent (for example, saying “I’m fine” while frowning). Mehrabian’s findings suggested that in such emotionally ambiguous contexts:Only 7% of a message is communicated through the actual words.

38% through tone of voice (vocal elements like pitch, volume, tempo).55% through body language and facial expressions (visual cues).Important caveats: These percentages apply only to situations where words conflict with tone or body language, and where the message concerns feelings or attitudes. Mehrabian himself stressed that the numbers should not be treated as universal across all communication.

Nevertheless, when you’re in an interview, a high-emotion, high-visibility context where impression counts, the principle holds: your non-verbal channels carry significant weight.

How Warikoo applies the rule to interviews

In his post, Warikoo emphasised that despite giving the "right answers", many candidates are rejected because their non-verbal signals undermine their message. He writes: “Only 7% of your interview success depends on what you say. The remaining 93% is influenced by non-verbal cues — with 38% coming from tone, confidence and clarity of speech, and 55% from body-language.” His key observations about why interviews fail include:Most candidates concentrate on rehearsing the verbal part (the WHAT) but ignore the HOW and the WHO (tone + body).Common non-verbal mistakes: poor eye contact, slouched posture, weak handshake, excessive or distracting gestures. Warikoo cites statistics like “67% of rejections happen due to lack of eye contact, 45% due to excessive hand/body movement, 30% due to a weak handshake, and 40% because of poor posture.”Genuine confidence cannot be artificially created through exaggerated gestures. Instead, the candidate must feel the confidence, so tone and body follow naturally. “The goal isn’t to look confident – that falls short. It’s to feel it, so your body naturally follows.”In short: Warikoo suggests that interviews fail not because the candidate lacks knowledge or experience, but because how they present themselves turns interviewers away.

Other communication research that supports the rule

Warikoo’s interpretation aligns with broader research on communication in interviews and selection contexts:A meta-analysis on interview impression formation found that interviewers begin forming judgments within the first seconds of interaction, heavily using nonverbal cues like eye contact, posture, and facial expressiveness.Another study in Journal of Business and Psychology found that applicants exhibiting positive non-verbal behaviours (upright posture, consistent eye contact, moderate gesturing) were rated higher in perceived social skills and fit — even when their technical responses were similar.Research on first-impression effects shows that once an interviewer forms an early impression, it tends to anchor subsequent evaluations: meaning poor initial nonverbal cues may bias the rest of the interview negatively.These findings reinforce Warikoo’s message: while preparing your verbal responses is essential, ignoring tone and body is a nearly guaranteed risk.

Why non-verbal matters in interviews

First impressions are formed instantly - Interviewers see you walk in, shake your hand, sit down. Your posture, handshake, eye contact, tone all form part of that instant impression. Even before you speak a full answer, your body signals something.Signal congruence matters - When your words say “I’m confident and capable,” but your body slouches, your tone is flat, and your gaze averts, the interviewer senses the mismatch.

According to Mehrabian’s research, when channels are inconsistent, people rely more wholly on tone and body.Fit and presence - Many interview decisions aren’t just about can you do the job, but will you be fit for the team? Body language, tone, and presence communicate aspects of likability, energy, culture fit and leadership potential that the words alone cannot.Credibility and trust - Tone and body language affect perceptions of credibility: Are you naturally composed or defensive? Are you open or guarded? These cues influence how your content is received.

How to apply the 7-38-55 rule in your next interview

Here’s a practical step-by-step guide to making sure your non-verbal channels support (not sabotage) your content.Step 1: Record yourself Use a phone or camera to answer 2-3 common interview questions. Then play it back and evaluate:Are you sitting upright?Is your posture open or closed (arms crossed)?Do you maintain eye contact or repeatedly look away?Is your tone varied and expressive, or flat and rehearsed?Are your gestures natural or distracting?Step 2: Align posture and presence

Enter the room with a steady pace, make eye contact, offer a firm handshake.Sit with a straight back, shoulders relaxed, lean slightly forward to show interest.Avoid crossing arms, fidgeting, or leaning too far back.Keep your hands visible on the table or resting naturally; avoid fidgeting.Step 3: Master your toneVary your tone: slower for serious content, livelier for achievements.Avoid speaking too fast — brisk pace often signals nervousness.Use moderate volume — too soft may signal uncertainty, too loud may come off as aggressive.Smile subtly when appropriate — it relaxes your tone and makes you appear warm.Step 4: Gesture with intentionUse open palms when emphasising ideas: it signals transparency and honesty.Use moderate gestures: hands moving too much distracts; too little may appear robotic.Match your gesture to your content: a nod when describing collaboration, a slight lean when describing leadership.Step 5: Check congruence between word + tone + bodyIf you say “I led a team” (word), your tone should sound confident and commanding, your posture should reflect openness and leadership.If your body says “I’m unsure” while your words say “confident”, the message gets muddled. Warikoo notes that’s when candidates lose out.Step 6: Practice full dress rehearsalsSimulate the full experience: enter the room, greet, handshake, sit, answer questions, exit.Have a friend act as interviewer and give feedback on nonverbal cues.Focus not just on your answer content but on your entire presence and delivery.Step 7: Internalise confidence, Don’t fake itAs Warikoo says: “The goal isn’t to look confident… it’s to feel it so your body naturally follows.”

Putting it all together: The interview success framework

If I were to distil Warikoo’s guidance and communication research into a simple formula for interview preparation, it would be:Interview Success = Content (WHAT) + Tone (HOW) + Body (WHO)And while WHAT matters, HOW + WHO carry disproportionate weight.

Before your next interview:

Spend 50% of your prep time on your answers (WHAT).Spend 30% on tone of voice and vocal clarity (HOW).Spend 20% on your body language, posture and presence (WHO).Then practise under mock conditions, record yourself, adjust, and reinforce until your non-verbal cues support and amplify your message naturally.So the next time you walk into an interview room expecting to win by virtue of your answers, remember this: You might already know the right answer — but can you deliver it in a way the interviewer feels fits, trusts and remembers?As Ankur Warikoo reminds us: “You can rehearse your words a hundred times, but if your body language doesn’t align with your responses, it doesn’t make an impact.” The 7-38-55 breakdown isn’t a magic wand, you still need good content, but it is a wake-up call: in interviews, how you say it and who you are matters almost as much as what you say.Bring the words, yes. But also bring the tone. Bring the posture. Bring the presence. That’s how you stack the odds in your favour.