Never Ever Wear Orange & Other Odd Interview Tips
By Beth Leslie
You’ve memorised your CV, perfected your interview handshake and researched the company to within an inch of its life, but somehow you’re still not getting your dream job.
You could be being held back by something that you never even thought mattered. Check out these extremely unusual interview tips that could be the difference between another rejection and being hired!
Be a Bolt from the Blue
The fact that over a third of employers have turned down a candidate purely because of the way they were dressed probably doesn’t surprise many people. Turning up in a t-shirt or wearing your favourite mini-skirt are obvious no-nos. Less obvious is the fact that the colour of your wardrobe could be getting in between you and your dream job.
More than eight in ten bosses deemed pink and red “unacceptable” colours to wear. Poor orange fared even worse - a whopping 95% of hirers felt it was inappropriate. For comparison, only 59% were offended by clothes stains or dirty marks. They must really hate orange.
Don’t want to leave your interviewer feeling blue? Wear… blue. Apparently, people who wear blue at interviews are more likely to get hired because it signals that you’re trustworthy, dependable, and a team player.
Get with the Times
If asked when you can come in for an interview, answer: 10.30am on Tuesday. Why? Glassdoor reckons you’re more likely to get hired then than at any other time.
The logic is that you avoid ‘bookends’ – the first and last sections of any given timeslot. Interview on a Monday or first thing in the morning and the employer will be distracted thinking about their own workload. Friday, or last thing in the afternoon, they’ll be tired and winding down, with their mind more on their evening/weekend than on what you have to say.
With those restrictions in mind, you still want to interview as early as you can. Interviewing is a time-consuming and boring process for many managers, who are usually looking to fill a position as quickly as possible. You don’t want to schedule a Wednesday interview and miss out because the guy on Tuesday was just as good.
It’s Not Okay to Touch Yourself
Body language is important. When you smile you seem approachable, when you sit up straight you seem confident. Touching any part of your body, however, is a definite no-go. According to experts, people who play with their hair seem untrustworthy, and if you touch your nose you come across as dishonest. Lip-touching also indicates a liar. Worst of all is crossing your arms – apparently, that gives the impression that you’re defensive, insecure, close-minded and inflexible; none of which are particularly desirable traits in a job candidate!
In order to prevent any accidental body-touching, occupy your hands by placing them face up on the table in front of you, which signals openness and honesty. Alternatively, you can place your fingertips together in a ‘steeple’ position, which allegedly projects authority.
Ramp Up Your Specs Appeal
If you leave an interview feeling that you and the employer didn’t quite see eye-to-eye, it may be because you weren’t wearing glasses. Turns out that the bespectacled are more likely to be hired than their clear-sighted compatriots. The logic is that wearing glasses makes you look more intelligent and more professional.
Cursed with perfect 20/20 vision? Worry not, you can always join the 40% of employees who either have or are considering investing in a pair of clear-lens glasses in order to get ahead in the workplace.
And they say career success is all about using your contacts!
Pretend Commuters Are Colleagues
What has long seemed self-evident to city workers has been proved by science; commuting lowers life satisfaction, reduces happiness and raises anxiety. Playing nice with the bloke on the tube who seems insistent on pushing his sweaty armpit into your face, therefore, may not be top of your job to-do list. But pretending that everyone you encounter en route to the interview could be one of your new colleagues pays dividends: just ask the chap who swore at a fellow commuter only to discover he was his interviewer!
It’s hardly improbable that those people who are travelling the exact same way as you to the exact same office will actually work there. And colleagues talk. If you made a great or awful impression on them, it’s very likely to find its way to the ears of your interviewer. Even if none of your commuters do turn out to be potential new colleagues, being positive and friendly on your journey in will get you in the right frame of mind for the interview itself.
So smile, and be polite! Just don’t ask them if they like your orange tie …
Beth Leslie is a content writer for the UK’s leading graduate recruitment agency, Inspiring Interns. Check out their blog for more graduate careers advice. If you are an employer looking to hire an intern or a candidate wishing to secure an internship or find graduate jobs London, head to their website.
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