Men and women have different faux pas when it comes to wardrobe. However, they make a lot of the same mistakes when it comes to personal hygiene and grooming - and an interviewer will definitely take notice.
While most of my clients apply to work in conservative environments like law firms, investment banks, and corporations, the hygiene and grooming faux pas discussed here are important to avoid in any work environment.
They are the distracting and annoying mistakes that could put an end to all the hard work you’ve done in writing your resume, targeting employers, and scheduling and preparing for interviews.
That’s pretty bad. But the good news these mistakes are all avoidable.
Those who’ve read my other blogs and How to Get a Legal Job: A Guide for New Attorneys and Law School Students know I don’t just rely on my own opinions for these tips.
I spend a great deal of time talking to hiring decision-markers, including hiring directors, interviewers, personnel managers, and recruiters—in other words, the people who will be interviewing you.
What Your Interviewer Won't Tell You
Here are three grooming faux pas to avoid:
1. You Stink
Maybe you smell like cigarette smoke. Or, you used too much perfume or cologne. Maybe your breath is horrible.
Whatever it is, it’s making your interviewer’s nose wrinkle and eyes water, and she’s counting the minutes until your interview is over. Air out (or better yet, clean) those dress clothes that have been stored in your smoke-filled home. Don’t smoke before your interview.
Keep applications of cologne, perfume, and scented products to a minimum. Save your pungent and spicy snacks until after your interview.
In other words, don’t be remembered as the guy that caused your interviewer to Febreeze her office and that sent her running for her asthma inhaler.
2. You Should've Done Something About That Facial Hair
Yes, this does apply to men and women. Unruly—or unexpected—facial hair is a distraction to your interviewer.
He doesn’t want to stare at the tufts of hair coming for your ears or your hairy lip, but he can’t help himself.
Guys, keep in mind that—fair or not—facial hair is a no-no in some workplaces. So keep your mustache, beard, and sideburns in good order, and be aware that you may be better off clean-shaven for your interviews.
3. You’re Sweaty
Of course we all sweat, and even more so when we’re nervous. But the old adage, “Never let them see you sweat” holds true for job interviews.
A sweaty handshake is an unpleasant way to start the interview—both for you and for your interviewer. So bring a handkerchief with you to dry off those sweaty palms before you walk in the door.
And while you’re at it, dab down your forehead, nose, upper lip, or any place else you’re prone to visibly sweat. Wear your antiperspirant and deodorant, and dress in natural fibers that allow your skin to breathe and sweat to evaporate.
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Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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