Smokin’ Up a Storm: Clothing, Smokers, and the Job Interview
by: Jerry Carmack
You’re nervous. You’re so nervous that you crave a smoke. So you light up, and as you puff away, it feels so relaxing, right? Well, what’s good for your nerves is not so good to when you’re job hunting.
What?! What does smoking have to do with job hunting? It has to do with the fact that if you-the job hunter-are a smoker, and your interviewer is a non-smoker, then your chances of getting hired are very slim.
And yes, legally, an employer can’t say “You’re a smoker, I’m not going to hire you!” However, it is an unofficial fact that if all things are equal, a non-smoker will be hired over a smoker every time. If you’re a smoker, this is a disadvantage to you.
So if you’re not going to quit smoking, then get into the habit of doing so outside! This is especially important during your job hunt. Why? Because if your interviewer is a non-smoker, he or she *will* know you are a smoker. You will reek of smoke IF you smoke inside (I, the author, am a non-smoker—I know what I’m talking about).
Because of this employer prejudice, while job hunting and especially before an interview, be sure that you dry clean all of your clothes (I’m talking: your suit jacket, shirt, and pants-male. And skits or dress pants-female). Buy new neckties (or bowties), socks, underwear, t-shirts, and hosiery (female) and keep all these clothes in some kind of air-tight bag. Put all these clothing items in a part of your home that the farthest away from all the smoking.
(continued...)
Smokin’ Up a Storm: Clothing, Smokers, and the Job Interview
Page 2
About The Author
© 2005 by Jerry Carmack. You may use this article without my permission *if* you use it in its entirety (including this footnote). If you wish to use portions of this article, you must email him at carmackpublishing@yahoo.com for permission. Thank you.
Jerry Carmack is a freelance, self-publishing, non-fiction writer living in Hot Springs, AR USA. This article is a part of an ebook, “How to Tie a Tie: Everything You Wanted to Know About Neckties and Bowties, but Didn’t Think to Ask.” (http://carmackpublishing.tripod.com/how_to_tie_a_tie.htm).
|
|
