Staffing industry and retail management veteran gives cheeky tips on what NOT to do when interviewing for a job; tips are backed up by sound advice and humorous examples of real life interview faux pas.

Before I ventured off on the “Mommy Track”, I held management positions in both the retail and staffing industries. I’ve conducted many interviews for a wide variety of positions, from forklift drivers and retail clerks, to mid-level executives. Some people were wonderful to interview! They answered questions honestly and directly. They were respectful and enthusiastic about the positions they were applying for. Others…..were not! They seemed to go out of their way to sabotage their interviews! It is in their honor that I have compiled the following slightly cheeky list of what NOT to do during an interview. Each tip on the list is based on a real life interview faux pas. Some sound advice is added to the mix also. Enjoy and take heed!

  1. Don’t Wear A Fluorescent Purple Suit To An Interview…Unless You’re Looking For Work In A Vegas Venue!

    Okay, so not many of us would be this bold! However, it does drive home the point that you have to dress appropriately for the position you are interviewing for. Most of the time, this means to dress moderately. You don’t want your choice of clothing to take the interviewer’s attention away from your qualifications and personality. The interviewer is trying to ascertain if you would be a good fit for their company. Depending on the position you are applying for, the interviewer may want to be able to picture you meeting their clients or representing their company in other various ways. If you wear clothing that goes against the grain of how the employees of the company dress, you can really handicap your ability to get the job.

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    One man I interviewed was a classic example of someone oblivious to the “dress appropriately” rule. I was managing a staffing agency at the time. One of our clients was a warehouse that was looking for forklift drivers. I was to do the initial interviews to weed out poor candidates and then my client would conduct follow up interviews with the people I felt would be strong candidates for the positions available. My first interview was with a man who literally showed up wearing a fluorescent purple suit with matching cowboy boots! My initial reaction was to think of how embarrassed I would be if I sent this man to interview with my very conservative, blue-collar client. Luckily for my interviewee, it was me (not my client) conducting the initial interview…and he had excellent forklift experience! I gave him a few pointers about the company and how to appropriately dress for the follow up interview with the warehouse. He heeded my advice and got the job! Not everyone is lucky enough to get a second chance, though! Finding out a little bit about the company’s culture and seeking fashion advice from a knowledgeable source in advance can really help to make sure you give the right impression in an interview!