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.
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