Hint - wash before you interview (I am amazed I ever had to write that)

This article from leading sector publication Recruiter magazine from a REC survey got me thinking - who turns up for an interview before washing?

Personal hygiene has been cited as a key problem among job hunters with 47% of recruiters questioned that they had received negative feedback from employers on this, according to a survey by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). The survey also revealed anecdotes such as a candidate turning up in a ball gown for an interview with a fashion company, another candidate claimed he was very proficient at Sony PlayStation, several candidates tried to charm their interviewer by offering them sweets and one candidate was too vain to wear her glasses at interview and mistook a cupboard for the exit on her way out. Almost all respondents (93%) had received feedback from employers about a job hunter's interview appearance with 16-20 year olds identified as the worst offenders for dressing inappropriately. Casual clothing was an issue according to 63% of recruiters with one-in-four (23%) mentioning inappropriate footwear, one in three (29%) citing revealing clothing and one in five (19%), excessive jewellery.

I think the best I have had so far are the motorcyclist who got wet in his dry suit (lovely wet patch under his £500 suit jacket), and the guy who had just eatten Chinese noddles for the first time in ages - and had splattered sauce all over his shirt, jacket, trousers, hair, shoe's......

And they wonder why I had out an interview preparation sheet before I ever send anyone for interview...... ;)