Don’t be astonished. Whenever people come together, there is a tremendous potential for misinterpretation and miscommunication, because our thought processes are different and we present to the candidate may not be what the candidate is seeking.
Presume for a moment that you are the recruiter and not the job applicant. Ask yourself, whether the scenario’s depicted here is reflective of how you conduct yourself during interviewer. Would you have chosen such candidates for the job in your company?
Scenario 1
The candidate trots into the conference room and without being asked plunks himself in the chair, as if it was the lounge chair in his own home. His hair is disheveled and uncombed and his shirt has a stain from the ketchup that probably leaked from a burger he had on the way to the interview.
He is probably thinking, I am exuding an air of supreme confidence, someone who is at home in these surroundings. The competition does not bother him and he casually says, hi folks, to the two recruiters.
I am certain that you must be thinking, I would show such a person the door, within a minute of his arrival. See where he has gone wrong. His resume and qualifications could be very good for all that we know but his grooming choices and attitude have made his qualities lose their relevance.
He looks like he is recovering from a late night on the town. He loses out on the first impression he makes, to even get a second chance.
Scenario 2
A woman in her late 20s, heavily made up, manicured nails and wearing high heeled shoes that could cause vertigo. She gives a saucy smile and says a drawled out, “Helouu”. She crosses her legs, her tight skirt making it very difficult for her to sit. Moreover, she has one too many buttons unbuttoned on her blouse. She thinks she looks terrific, her boyfriend will probably share her sentiments, but the interviewers won’t. She’ll comes across as someone who will cause distraction amongst workers and her attitude reflects, that she wants to get a job on the strength of her appealing personality rather than her qualifications and other strengths.
Scenario 3
The company was hugely impressed by the smooth voice of the job applicant and set up an in-person interview with him. Based on the quality of his smooth talking, the recruiters were probably expecting a person who was well attired in sober formals. Yet the person who walked in was wearing a tie with a knot the size of his knee cap. His other clothes too were ill-fitting and he did not seem to be bothered about it. Whatever, good impression he had created over the phone, dissipated the moment the recruiters set their eyes upon him.
The above scenarios are not a figment of the writer’s imaginations but truthful accounts of real incidents. They tell us how not to do things. Here’s some interview advice that tells you how to do them.
Pay Attention To How You Smell
While it is very important how you look, it is also very important how you smell. Recollect the time when the fellow sitting next to you in the bus had applied cologne too liberally. Use fragrance subtly and choose it carefully.
People, who smoke, should make every conceivable effort to conceal their smoking habits. The persistent smell of nicotine on your clothes, could give your game away. You as a smoker may be immune to the smell, but ensconced in a small air-conditioned office, in rarified atmosphere, the interviewer may find the smell unnerving.
Don’t try to mask your tobacco smell with mints or perfume, it makes matters even worse. The best thing to do is to refrain from smoking for a few days prior to the interview.
Curb Reflex Action Behavior
Many people, without realizing it crack their knuckles, jingle loose change in their pockets, cross their legs and keep fidgeting for no rhyme or reason. These are all distracting habits and you should make a conscious effort to refrain from doing so. They could hurt your chances in the interview.
Seek Your Friends Advice
Engage in a mock interview, with your friend, wear the same clothes, the same hairstyle and presume that it is the D-day. Then ask your friend for his honest opinion of how you look and what changes, if any, would he like to suggest.
Shaking Hands
At some point in the interview you will be shaking hands. Make sure your finger nails are clean.
Posture
Good posture denotes confidence and energy -- how do you carry yourself? If you tend to slouch, here’s an old trick that worked well for me, there is no reason why it should not work for you. Imagine that there is a string attached to the top of your head and it is tied to the ceiling. Every time, you slump, the string pulls your head up, keeping your posture upright.
Avoid Bad Breath
Make sure to brush your teeth in the morning. If you smoke or drink coffee, there may be an odor to your breath that you may not detect. Bad breath is a turn off in so many ways.
Now from your clothes, to your hair, to your shoes everything is in place and well-groomed. You are ready to meet and greet your potential new boss. Good Luck!
