Dealing with people all day everyday means we have seen it all! From bad first impressions, to really bad first impressions to awesome resumes, resumes filled with half-truths and people who have criminal records the length of your arm to people with education and experience that is impeccable. Doing the work we do, we really have witnessed it all and learned one thing…some people lack common sense, some people lack social skills, some people lack manners, some people just aren’t that bright. We ultimately discovered that Common Sense…it’s just not that common.
Now this post is not meant to criticize, judge, offend or deter people from being themselves and applying for positions. It is meant to offer some advice on things that we take for granted as being common sense because its our business and that the applicant just might not know.
Common Sense Tips when applying for Positions:
1) Do not call and tell us you can’t get a ride to an interview, safety meeting or orientation. The number one requirement for getting the job…is being able to get TO the job.
2) Do not send correspondence to your potential employer from your current work email. It’s shows poor judgement on your part and makes a potential employer very uncomfortable. It’s like cheating. Who wants to be known as the “other boss”? Remember…your work emails are NEVER private.
3) Do not have “the girls” on display when going to an interview. Believe it or not, it’s hard to take you seriously when your cleavage is bouncing around…even if you do have a PhD. We’re an office full of women and we find it distracting and inappropriate so it’s not just a “guy thing”.
4) Do not show up with your kids to an interview thinking that if they sit quietly in the corner it will be okay. It won’t and it isn’t. If you can’t get a sitter for a half hour interview…how do we know if you will be able to find one for your work day?
5) Don’t chew gum, bring a snack or beverage, bring in shopping bags or come in stinking like cigarette smoke to meet a potential boss. Eat before and smoke after. Interviews are always formal and carrying a coffee with your days groceries doesn’t really project that.
6) Don’t over share! An employer doesn’t need to know your whole life story or the life story of your friends in family in an interview. They might ask general questions..so answer them in general. No one needs to know that your life is like a country western song. Save the broken marriage, dead dog, poor me stories for your therapist. All it says to the employer is….DRAMA!
and finally…..
7) Don’t try to reschedule an interview five minutes before you are supposed to be at the interview. Employers hate having their time wasted so if it’s not a job you are interested in….don’t apply for it.