Sometimes decisions about job candidates boil down to factors that people do not even think of. Take what you do in the parking lot of a potential employer for instance.
Did you know that certain things that people do in the parking lot before going inside a business for the job interview can rule them out for the job even before they step foot in the door. Whether or not folks realize it, many employers are watching the interviewee before they even step foot in their establishment. No this is not some creepy surveillance gone wrong; it’s simply proximity to the parking lot.
Many small and medium size businesses have parking directly next to their buildings and, therefore, employees see the comings and goings of others in the parking lot in the course of normal business as they gaze out their office windows, walk through the lobby, or stand outside the building during a break.
Here are 5 things to AVOID DOING in a potential employer’s parking lot.
- Pull in the parking lot playing loud music that rattles the employer’s windows.
- Sit in your car or stand in the parking lot and smoke a cigarette before entering the building. Many business, especially healthcare-related, are now smoke free establishments.
- Changes clothes in your car, or even better, while standing by your car in the parking lot. Yes, we had a job candidate at the non-profit that I work for change his shirt in the parking lot by our shop. Everybody in that shop got an eye full. Not cool!
- Have someone drop you off for the job interview and you smooch with them before you get out of the car. Icky! Too much information about your love life.
- Arrive way to early for the interview and sit in your car and have an extended conversation on your cell phone. Employers, especially in today’s unpredictable world, like to know who it is that is hanging out in their parking lot. They assume that if you are somebody that they do not recognize, that you will park and come on in and let them know that you are a new customer, etc. . . If you just sit and sit, don’t be surprised if an employee comes out of the building to check on you.
As you can see, the best policy is to always assume that how you act in the parking lot is just another part of the job interview. Find other helpful job interview advice at 5 Tips for Best Job Interview Outfit and The Big Job Search Advice Roundup.
All good points, and all Common Sense you would think?? Scary how one has to point this out to people these days. A few years back I actually had a young man come into my Suite of offices, sit outside of my office in from of my assistant and tell whom ever he was on the phone with
“Yeah, I got this, no one else showed up to this lame job!”
My assistant came into my office with a very large notepad and in BOLD sharpie had written on it….
“If you hire that JERK, I quit!!!”
Needless to say that young man did not get the job. He was by far the most qualified, and I was in fact going to hire him until she stated that.
I took a chance on an older woman, with less experience, who turned out to be the BEST hire of my life.
One of the best job interview fails that I have heard in a long time. Thank goodness your assistant was there to hear him say that.
So often people do not think.
When I was a high school guidance counselor one of my seniors’ email address started with “cheerleadersrock” He was not a cheerleader! I talked to him about getting a different email address before communicating with colleges he wanted to go to or employers he wanted to approach. He was giving the “party party” impression that would not be helpful to him in those situations.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I have a job inquiry e-mail sent from someone with the word lazy in the e-mail address. Hmmm! Don’t have to wonder about that person’s work ethic.
It’s been a while since I had a job interview and I have never considered that someone might be watching me in the parking lot. Thankfully, I’ve never done any of these things, but I can see how that would affect your interview.
Your co-host from Turn it Up Tuesday ~~April~~
Yes, I think with growing workplace violence and security concerns, many companies are watching their parking lots much more closely.
Wow! These are really great tips that you just never think of. It just isn’t enough to look good on paper! Visiting from SITS Sharefest. Have a great weekend!
Sometimes it is so easy to overlook things with a job search. Thanks for hoping over from SITS Sharefest. Sending some Bloglovin your way.
Good tips – as the saying goes, common sense ain’t so common. 🙂
Definitely! Common Sense is pretty uncommon some days. Sending some Pinterest love your way.
Hello, I am stopping by from the Frugal Friday Link Up Party.
I would have to agree. I work in the health field. At a nursing home… We always have strange stuff happening in our parking lot. They had cameras installed because some idiot was stealing from other peoples cars. 🙁 You just never know now a days.