By Leia O’Connell, MSW
Contributor, Career Coach
Traditional interview advice should not be a surprise to any job seeker; wear professional clothes, show up on time, don’t finish the lunch you were just eating in the car while being asked about work experience. These are great tips! But, there’s more. If you’ve been on interviews and haven’t been getting the job, these suggestions below might help!
You should smell like nothing
I’ve read interview tips which suggest that one should “use minimal perfume or cologne” or “make sure to smell nice.” You are not going to impress a potential employer with your perfume. In fact, just the opposite. Each one of us is pleased by different scents. There is no way for you to predict what your interview(s) will prefer. Avoid the perfume/cologne, and use unscented deodorant. Don’t let your aroma prevent you from getting the job of your dreams!
Your clothes and undergarments should fit and support you correctly
When you look at yourself in the mirror before a job interview, you might be thinking about whether or not your shirt has stains or needs to be ironed, not what’s underneath. If your clothes and undergarments do not fit correctly, this may be distracting to the interviewer.
The next time you try on your interview outfit, have a friend take a look too and ask for their feedback. You need to know how you look from the side and the back, not just the front. If there is something you need to fix, you’ll want to know about it ahead of time. Sit, stand, and walk around to be sure your clothes won’t shift in a way you don’t like. If you are buying an outfit for the first time, consider going to a department store and having a trained representative assist you with finding both clothes and undergarments which are sized correctly.
Bring a lint roller
If you have a pet, this is obvious. No one wants to be able to tell the breed of dog you have by looking at your jacket. Even if you don’t have a hairy pet, you need to bring a lint roller. When you step out of your car (or whatever method of transportation you’re using), give yourself a good roll and make sure you are polished and ready to go.
Wear your lucky socks
I know what you’re thinking, “This is not a helpful tip.” Just trust me for a moment. If you have a small piece of clothing or token which you fully believe brings you luck, you should carry it with you. It will give you an extra boost of confidence, which can help to quell those interview jitters. Now, the trick is to make sure to use good judgement here and follow all of the other traditional rules. When you need a little confidence, you know you’ve got your lucky socks to help you out.
Improving your interview look will help you to best showcase yourself. If all else fails, remember that a smile looks good on everyone.
