Warning: The Dangers of Perfume and Cologne at Your Interview

Many job search sites will warn you about the importance of good presentation. It is vital that you wear appropriate clothes and maintain an attractive appearance so that your first impression with your interviewers is the best it can be. However, there are warnings that come with making a good presentation as well. The best known issue is that of fragrances.

Scents are one of the primary causes of a good or bad first impression. If you smell bad, the employer is going to immediately think poorly of your appearance, presentation, and even your ability to do the job. Smell good and you appear to be a clean individual that takes care of yourself. Clearly there is a good reason to care about how to smell, since your scent can make a tremendous difference in how you appear to others.

In order to smell decent, many men and women put on massive amounts of perfumes, aftershave, and colognes before their job interview. Logically this makes a lot of sense. If you put on great scents, chances are you will smell great and make a great olfactory first impression.

Here is where the risk comes into play. Many adults, especially women, are massively allergic to the strong smells that come from these perfumes and colognes. So much so that they may not be able to be in the same room with you, let alone shake your hand. When you go to the interview, you risk running into someone that is allergic to these smells and ultimately harming your interview.

There are a variety of tools you can use to still smell your best during the interview without risking these allergies. The first is to use unscented soap and rely on your natural odor to help you out during the interview. Another is to look for hypoallergenic fragrances. You can also put just a light amount of these sprays on a single part of your body. Then, if your interviewer mentions an allergy, simply tell them you can easily wash it off and go clean that spot in the bathroom.

This is not to say that you should avoid perfumes and colognes before your interview. The chance that you will run into someone that is allergic is not too high. However, before you go to any job interview you want to do whatever it takes to maximize your chances of landing the job, so just be aware that if you decide to splash on a large amount of perfume or cologne, you may run into someone that cannot handle your presence.


[Source:everydayinterviewtips.com]