Be clean for interviews to nail a job

DIRTY finger nails, limp handshakes and body odour are some of the worst “image mistakes” job-seekers make at interviews, often ruining their chances of being hired, according to a report.

One in four job applicants failed at interviews because of their appearance, research found.

The most common “clangers” were turning up late, slouching in the chair, dirty finger nails and “limp, wet” handshakes.

But a survey of 700 jobseekers by on-line recruiters Fish4jobs in Britain also discovered incidents including:

A shy candidate who went to a pub for some Dutch courage and turned up drunk for a bus driving job.

A man who managed to get his underwear stuck in his trouser zip and spent an entire interview with his pants sticking out.

A woman who went to the washroom to check her appearance and walked into the interview room with toilet paper stuck to her shoes.

Jonathan Turpin, chief executive of Fish4jobs, said employers scrutinised every aspect of a candidate’s appearance, so dirty finger nails or inappropriate clothes were a “big turn off”.

One in five human resources managers lost interest in a candidate if their appearance was sloppy, even if they had an impressive CV, said the report.

Most people surveyed said they spent less than two hours researching the company where they were seeking work.

“If you find yourself struggling with basic questions during the interview, then you are wasting the interviewer’s time and a great opportunity to sell yourself,” added Mr Turpin.