Subconscious Interview Score

@PMDude said it best about the subconscious interview score:

“Anything that redirects the attention from the skills of the candidate I am interviewing lowers the subconscious score that I am assembling.  It may not DQ (disqualify) a candidate, but it is always going to be a factor”.

It’s only human nature. Judging people is a survival tactic that dates back to caveman days.  If you wanted to survive, you needed to be able to figure out the other caveman quickly.  As a candidate, consider both the conscious and subconscious aspects of the interview scores. The goal is not to raise any eyebrows of doubt.

Not just looking for the best

Let me clarify. I am confident that we notice several things about anyone we meet. We keep track of debits and credits as time passes. What is unfair is that the rules vary from one interviewer to another. What is important to one person may not be necessary to the next. I don’t say this because I am shallow and superficial, and I care about how people present themselves.  I am, I am, and I do. My job is to compare several candidates. Recruiters work with the hiring manager to narrow down the selection to a single candidate. There is no second place.  When comparing two products, you are not only looking for the best. You are also looking for flaws.

During an interview, I may or may not ask a candidate about their behavior or what they say. Just because I don’t bring it up doesn’t mean I didn’t notice. I did notice that it is affecting my subconscious interview score.

I probably won’t bring it up

If you arrive late wearing the wrong dress code, I will not address it. Your appearance signals that you don’t care about the impression you are trying to make. Did I make a mental note? Absolutely. If you introduce yourself and say, “Sorry, I am late,” I will reply politely. “I know traffic can be tough this time of day. I know it is hard to find parking, no problem”. 

During the interview, signs of pessimism, such as finger tapping or nervously bouncing your knees up and down, are noticeable. My subconscious interview score isn’t going through the roof in a bad way. These actions affect the decision-making process. Don’t think interviews will always bring them up, or look for clarification. I take a mental note and keep things moving along. 

Not many of us are brilliant in all other categories

Sometimes, you can overcome these irritations by being brilliant in every other category. In this economy, the clock is ticking. There are many choices, also known as candidates. Do you think I am being too demanding?  We have all been on a date with someone we were interested in. If your date is looking at their reflection every chance they get, would you say anything?  Probably not. Would there be a second date?  Probably not. 

The small things affect this subconscious interview score. HR may say that they can overlook things like nervous habits and only judge a person by their qualifications. Contrary to belief, we are not superhuman; we are like everyone else. I KNOW what the hiring manager will and will not put up with. The hiring manager is my customer. I cater to them.  Stealing glances at every woman who walks by may not affect your job performance. I don’t want to be asked about it by the hiring manager, AKA, my customer.

Subconscious interview score

The subconscious interview score can be applied in various ways. Too much cologne (or any cologne), torn or ill-fitting clothes, and extreme hairstyles are noticeable. Sunglasses worn on the head are career killers. We are applying for a job, not auditioning for a role on Jersey Shore.

There have been several times when I didn’t take notice of something. Then, another person interviewed the same candidate and brought up the annoyance. The light came on for me.  (Or for this candidate, “the light went off”)

Below are a few examples that affect the subconscious interview scores of the judges. I can almost guarantee that the candidate will not be asked about the transgression. Hopefully, the list will reveal how nitpicky a job search can get.

The nits

• Avoid wearing jewelry that suggests an affiliation with a particular group.  The association could be anything from a church group to an earned certification or designation pin on your lapel. (Wear the certification on your resume, not on your lapel. Hold your religious belief in your heart during the interview, not around your neck. The safest thing to do is to go as neutral as you can. 
  • A neutral attitude rarely upsets the hiring cart or goes out of style. I once interviewed a man who was wearing a College Bowl ring. He was a big guy with big hands, and most of his fingers were misshapen. This ring was BIG, flossy, and considered Bling with a capital B. I knew from prior experience that the hiring manager would take one look at this guy and think “he’s a jock-meathead”. I asked him not to wear the ring the next time he came in and to skip the fitted shirt. Yes, he got the job.
• Bad Breath.  Just crush a couple of mints before each interview.

It’s not unreasonable

It sounds unreasonable, but this is a job where someone will PAY you cash money. Companies want the best in the show; they don’t want to hire flaws. Don’t distract the process with what you can control. Help the recruiter focus on your skills and qualifications. You will increase your chances of making the final cut.

See you at the after party,
HRNasty

nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.

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