While all indicators are that the worst of the Great Recession is behind us, job seekers still face tough times. According to The Wall Street Journal the easiest way for an applicant to take him or herself out of consideration is to forget basic manners. (“How to Get a New Job or Promotion,” WSJ, 01/07/2010.)

 

At a very minimum, people who are preparing for an interview should consider the following:

 

Appropriate attire. Every organization has a culture, and one of the ways in which employees communicate that culture is through their attire. Before heading out to an interview, job applicants should research the culture of the hiring organization and dress accordingly. When interviewing with very conservative organizations, applicants should wear suits, and in the case of men, ties.  In the case of less formal organizations, applicants may dress more casually, though their appearance should remain clean and crisp.

 

Business meals. Many interviewers invite job candidates to lunch or dinner.  During the course of the meal, interviewees should not let their guard down. This meal is a continuation of the interview. Choose an appetizer and an entrée, selecting only those items that are easy to eat in a non-messy manner. (At business meals, I always skip sushi simply because I find it impossible to eat an entire piece of sushi in one neat bite.) Avoid both the most and least expensive items on the menu. And skip the alcohol, especially in the case of a business lunch. At a business dinner, if the host/interviewer orders a glass of wine, the job candidate may also. The interviewee, however, should limit him or herself to one glass of wine throughout the entirety of the meal.

 

General deportment. Everything that a job candidate says or does communicates to an interviewer whether or not that person will succeed in a particular workplace. Job candidates should establish a business appropriate voice mail greeting and answer all phone calls in a business appropriate manner. When interacting with staff, job candidates should demonstrate respect. Throughout any actual interview, candidates should focus on the interviewer, making frequent eye contact and answering all questions in a thorough and polite manner. Candidates should turn their BlackBerrys and cell phones off.