7 interview tricks to be clean and undistracting

There is nothing like being trapped in a small, poorly ventilated interview room with a noisome, pungent candidate (or interviewer).

One guy I worked with….. smelled…. funny.   Another always wore each white dress shirts for 4 days.  A woman I worked with had a mouthwash she used at lunch with a bouquet like bourbon (hmmm). I lived with 3 elevator installers who showered once a week, used lots of cologne, and changed their bed sheets daily. No one wants to work with someone whose lack of cleanliness is distracting.

Clean is a minimum for an interview.  Clean and sharp looking is better.

Consider these ideas for the 24 hours before a job interview:

1.         Fill up your gas tank the day before so your hands don’t smell like gasoline at the interview.

2.         No onions, garlic, beans, curries, pungent cheese, or other strong smelling foods.

3.         Avoid perfumes, colognes, perfumed deodorants, strongly scented soaps, etc.  Some people react allergically to the smells and their sinuses plug up.

4.         Consider buying 2 or 3 shirts or blouses just for interviewing and take them to the professionals to have them cleaned and pressed before every interview. Buy new neckties so the knot is crisp and clean.

5.         Polish those shoes.  A few people still set a lot of store by how shoes shine.

6.         Shave before an afternoon interview.

7.         Put a TicTac in your mouth when you pull into the parking lot.

A lot of people are hired despite being sweaty, having wrinkled clothes, and a 5 o’clock shadow.  But, it is always at a lower salary than they could earn otherwise. Cleanliness will make a difference.

Something to do today

Put a box of TicTacs in your glove compartment just for job interviews.