Um ... You Stink.

How many times have we, as recruiters, interviewed someone who is fabulous on paper, but in person needs some, shall we say, career guidance? Perhaps the candidate wore a green suit, or shakes hands like a dead fish, or reeks of cigarette smoke. Whatever the situation is, it needs to be addressed prior to the client interview, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel.

Anyone who tells you presentation doesn’t matter is lying. No, we absolutely cannot and should not discriminate based on EEOC laws, but offering suggestions in other areas is not only helpful to the candidate, but the responsibility of the recruiter. Just be delicate and tactful.

Here are some issues you may encounter from time to time with your candidates:

· Always ask what they plan to wear to the interview. If it’s a suit, ask what color. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard the colors red and canary yellow (not together, mind you). If they’re going to a typical professional office, tell them it’s imperative they wear a dark colored, conservative suit with shined shoes. Better to be a little over dressed than too under dressed. If they don’t own a suit, smile and tell them, “Everyone needs one good suit for weddings and funerals,” and be prepared with store names/addresses that would have some at reasonable prices. Slacks and a coordinating jacket isn’t a bad substitute, but jeans and shorts are never acceptable unless they’re interviewing for a very casual job (think Lifeguard).

· If their hand shake is too limp or too hard, smile and say, “Let’s try that again.” Nicely explain it’s important they need to have a firm (not hard) handshake with whomever they meet during the interview. It shows confidence. Remember, some cultures naturally shake women’s hands gently, so you have to be careful not to offend anyone – hence the word “nicely.”

· Ever held your breath during a candidate interview? It’s amazing how we take for granted that everyone showers, brushes their teeth, and combs their hair daily. Thankfully most of us follow a hygiene routine, but apparently some people missed out on that training, and it can absolutely prevent them from getting the job they want and you from making a placement. Since it’d be rude to hand them a bar of soap or toothbrush during the prep, try stating things like, “Now I know it goes without saying, but be sure to smell good for your interview. Shower, use mouthwash, and use a little cologne/perfume (or none at all). If you’re a smoker, do not smoke on your way to the interview because you will smell like a cigarette, and you never know if the person interviewing you is a card-carrying board member with the American Cancer Society.”

· Younger candidates feel that proudly displaying their nose ring or tattoos shows their self expression and the manager should just accept that. Oh, our deluded youth! Ask if the jewelry and/or tattoo is more important than an income. If they truly want the job, explain they will be competing against other candidates who appear more professional and based on your experience, the “self-expressed” appearance rarely wins out. They will need to lose the nose ring and/or cover the tattoo for their interviews. After they’ve proven themselves on the job, maybe the manager won’t care if they have a pink faux-hawk and six earrings in one ear.

Finally, have an “Interview Tips” handout for each candidate – tips for both in person and over the phone interviews. Cover the obvious (don’t chew gum during the interview) and the not-so-obvious (avoid typing during phone interviews – take notes on paper rather than your computer). Have anything and everything covered in this document, so things you just can’t bring yourself to cover will still come to their attention. When you call to wish them luck before their interview (you do do that, right?), ask if they’ve read it, or better yet, which tip they got the most out of. In all my years of recruiting, even the most seasoned executives have told me they learned something new from the tips. It may be uncomfortable discussing some of these things with a candidate face-to-face, but I guarantee you it will be more uncomfortable when your manager is unhappy with the candidate you sent over.