How to Blow the Interview Before You Say a Word
March 18, 2008 (10:00AM) by Julie O'Malley, CPRW
Interviewing is a multi-sensory experience. And if you inadvertently assault any one of the interviewer's five senses – sight, hearing, taste, touch, or smell – you could blow the interview before it ever starts.
1. Sight
Do not let your interviewer see:
• You looking at your watch,
• You looking at your Blackberry,
• Your numerous unconventional piercings,
• Your extensive body art gallery,
• Your cleavage,
• Your bare arms (guys, please no short-sleeve shirts with a tie)
• Your excessive bling, or
• The label on the sleeve of your new suit.
That label? Cut it off, along with the threads on the pockets and the back flap. And while you're at it, check this list of 20 other wardrobe malfunctions to avoid in an interview.
2. Hearing
Put away your iPod and your (muted) cell phone. If you can't get through a pre-interview waiting period without music or a phone call, how will you get through the workday?
3. Taste
You will probably be asked if you'd like coffee or water. It's a very simple, yes-or-no question. Either answer is acceptable.
My friend the HR person remembers one candidate who asked instead for a cup of hot water because she was fasting and had brought her own special teabag. She was remembered thereafter as "The Teabag Lady."
4. Touch
The proverbial firm handshake is good. Anything beyond that is probably too touchy-feely for an interview.
5. Smell
Repeat after me, "I will strive to be unscented in my job interview." Garlic, onions, alcohol, and cigarettes are obvious no-no's before an interview. But steer clear of "good" smells, too. If your scent (cologne, hairspray, whatever) is strong enough to be noticed, it's too strong.
Then again, there's also common sense. In case you were wondering, The Teabag Lady actually did get the job. Because in the end, her preparation, her qualifications, and her personality trumped the oddity of the teabag and the oversharing about her dietary habits.
In most cases, however, it's easier to avoid sending up sensory "red flags" in the first place.
Agree? Disagree? Give us your $.02.
Another one for taste, lose the gum.
Don't even take the cell phone out of your car once you get to the interview. If you are using public transportation, you have no choice but to bring it in but it should actually be shut off. As an interviewer, I do not even believe muting is appropriate.
Amy - How did I forget the gum? Swallow it, people! (I promise it won't stick your insides together.)
And Michaela - You're right, the little bzzzzz of a muted phone can be just as distracting as a loud ringtone, so "in the car" or "OFF" is definitely the better way to go.
Thanks, both of you!
About scent: what if you chose to wear the perfume/lotion that the "ex" used to wear and now is nothing but a very sad olefactory memory? I agree, be scentless.
LOL, good point Paula, the "ex"-factor is always a risk. You can't control whether you look or sound like someone's ex, but you can make sure you don't smell like them (or anyone else)!
I agree that your image speaks volumes about you and is the first thing that an employer takes notes on. Look the part to get the part!
If they have a plate of donuts and offer you one, don't risk choking on powdered sugar for forty five minutes, or spilling jelly or cream in your lap. Avoid opening a can of pop if it has just fallen on the floor. I have witnessed these disasters, and as the interviewer, nearly convulsed trying not to laugh at these explosions.
Most especially, if you are waiting, do NOT tap your feet or fingers, even if it is a habit! This will drive the secretary(ies) absolutely batty, and it makes you seem impatient!
Sit up straight -- no slouching. Say please and thank you. Don't write things on your hands. Avoid saying "Umm". No yawning - it makes you seem bored and uninterested. Know when to shut up. Keep your personal life to yourself, and don't ask about their personal lives.
What about when you see potential in the person? I've interviewed young adults that are nervous and have great qualifications. What type of language would you use to help them feel relaxed.
@Grod
Many people, especially if they're interview novices, tend to think the interviewer is just waiting for them to make one slip-up, and that will be that.
I would just be honest and say, "Relax, if I didn't think you had good qualifications, I wouldn't have called you for an interview. This part of the process is more about getting to know you."
Reacting to negative comments or discrimimatory remarks by interviewer - I have experienced a few interviews (with HR Managers, etc) who have made open (discriminatory) remarks regarding the previous person or position, such as, "there have only been males in this position" and "I chose your resume' because you are older". It is very hard not to react to comments that as an HR pro that you are aware as discriminatory. I simply said, Thank you for sharing that information. Interviewers need to be cautious. There are job seekers who would gladly take a comment like this to a legal entity. Fortunately, I just want to find a good job with the right fit.
The two companies with the stated comments would not be my pick.
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