Ask-A-Recruiter: Three Common Job Search Bobbles
Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine of SixFigureStart
The ball pops out of the shortstop’s glove, even though it went straight at him. “Oh, he bobbled it,” the sportscaster calls. It’s not a career-ender, but it may get the runner on, and maybe that runner will score. In the end, the bobble may be costly. Job search bobbles are small and may fall under the radar. But, they can be costly, so try to avoid them:
Presentation counts. Mickey Mouse dress socks peek from under a candidate’s slacks as he sits down. The candidate doesn’t get the job, as the employer interprets his choice of socks as a lapse in professional judgment. (True story, and this happened at the meeting when our client was going to make this candidate an offer!)
Timing is everything. Get to your interview fifteen minutes early. There may be forms to fill out. There may be security hurdles to clear in the lobby reception. There may be a slow elevator. All three apply to just one employer for whom I recruited.
Choose your words wisely. Your word processing program only catches words that are completely misspelled. It won’t catch words that are out-of-context. If a salesperson does “meat” clients, perhaps she should be a butcher. Even the most vulgar trader probably doesn’t work in “pubic” finance. There may be a “Colombia” University in Bogota, but not in New York.
In short, be conservative. Dress in proper business attire. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview. Proofread all of your correspondence. Bobbles are only funny on the highlight reel.
Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart, a career coaching firm comprised exclusively of former Fortune 500 recruiters. Prior to launching SixFigureStart, Caroline recruited for Accenture, Time Inc, TV Guide and others. Email me at caroline@sixfigurestart.com and ask how you can attend a free SixFigureStart group coaching teleclass.
Oh, yes. I have turned down candidates for not wearing any socks at all, though I actually might have been more inclined to hire someone with Mickey socks! 🙂 And I’ve significantly downgraded candidates for dirty fingernails.
Your resume is where you are, presumably at least, presenting yourself in the best possible light. If it’s not perfect – punctuation, grammar, and formatting – what does that say about your ability to do good work? Get someone – lots of someones – to proofread it!
Finally, don’t just arrive fifteen minutes early for the (very good) reasons listed here. Arrive twenty minutes or even half an hour early so that you can get a feel, as you wait, for what the company culture is like. Are people friendly? Do they greet each other, never mind you? Or are they scowling and tense? Is there a cluster of gossipers hanging out by the reception desk? How does the receptionist greet you, answer the phone, say hello to people coming and going?
Bobbles are a sad and unnecessary way to lose out on a job opportunity. Pay attention. Do your homework.
And good luck!