The ’View

By Jenna Burleigh

The ticking of the clock mocks him as he waits. Tick. Tick. He wished he could just get this over with. The pit of his stomach flops and knots as his brow becomes moist with an anxious sweat. The man’s ironed khakis have creased, and his tie, a corporate noose, threatens to strangle him. First impressions, he tells himself, are difficult to change. He takes a deep breath as the door opens.

“Sir, we’re ready for your interview,” a woman called.

The man stood up, flattened his creases and straightened his tie. With a smile, he entered the room as the door closed behind him.

Robert Whitcomb waited behind an imposing cherry desk, stained a dark auburn. He is tall and dark, unreadable to the man who just entered. Sizing up the man before him, Robert was impressed, but not yet convinced he would make a good employee. It was a tough decision, but one he and his wife frequently had to make.

Robert first met Paula at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt., where they both became general managers for Sodexho, the food service provider at the college. Both worked with Sodexho for at least 20 years.

The couple eventually married and took charge of their own business, On The Run in Alburgh, Vt. They have been in charge of hiring new staff for the greater part of their lives. As interviewers, Robert and Paula had to sort worthy applicants from the rotten ones.

With the economic recession, unemployment in America has reached over 10 percent, making a good job harder to come by. How does an applicant survive the interviewing process and go on to get the job?

Robert and Paula noted there were several things they would look for in each applicant. One was presentation and attire.

“Dress for the job you want,” Robert says, explaining there is a big difference between the dress appropriate for a dishwasher or a sales representative. While it may be appropriate for a dishwasher to wear something casual to an interview, someone looking for a different job may need to dress up a bit.

“Never go in with blue jeans with holes in them, and don’t go in with a hat on backwards,” he says.

Pants should never “show six inches of underwear,” according to Robert, who says it never impressed him. Paula adds that applicants should also not show up in tee-shirts with vulgar language or graphics.

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between who would actually be a good employee and who just talks a perfect game. “The more skill that is required, the more careful you have to be of who you are hiring,” Robert says.

“Lots of times people come in to fill out an application because they have to do that for their unemployment,” He says. They don’t ever intend on actually getting a job. Other times people turn out to be a less-than-perfect employee. “We once had someone come at us with a kitchen knife,” he says. “He was wacky.”

For those who want a job, honesty is something employers value.

“Always be honest,” Paula advises. She says that it is best to be up-front about any records and reasons for leaving previous employment. Lying about these things on an application or during an interview could mean the end of the line for employees. “That can be grounds for termination,” she says.

Paula also says references go a long way. “Always get good references,” she says, because checking references is a big deal, and it could make or break an application.

“I personally liked it when someone came in and shook hands and introduced himself,” Paula says.

Eye contact is sometimes overlooked, but is important during an interview, she says. It lets an interviewer know applicants are serious about getting a job, and it is respectful as well. Another courtesy employers admire is punctuality.

“If you set an appointment, show up and be on time,” Paula says. An applicant should call if they are going to be late, because this is always preferred to not showing up at all or being late with no notice.

“Our time is just as important as your time,” she says.

Both Robert and Paula agree that presentation, attire, and personality should correlate with the job an applicant is seeking. For example, someone who is sloppy or unfriendly probably won’t be hired to a position requiring them to interact with customers all day. “If you’ve got a rotten personality, you’re going to give poor customer service,” Robert says.

Coming from years of experience, Robert and Paula say applicants should dress appropriately, make eye contact, be on time, and be honest with their interviewer. And though it’s not exactly in the books, they probably shouldn’t be wielding a kitchen knife either.

As the man exits the room, the knot in this stomach finally unties. He loosens his noose and starts to relax, thankful the interview was finally over. He feels confident, but knows better than to get excited about it. From his experience, he knows a good interview doesn’t always lead to a job, but at least he knows he has given it his very best shot.