Reason: Sometimes interviewers offer friendly advice or tips that they think will help candidates find a job, and that can be fantastic and valuable. But the wrong advice could not only be hurtful or counterproductive, it can create an uncomfortable, if not hostile interview experience. There is a simple test: does the advice pertain to something relevant to the job, and under the same circumstances, would it be offered to anyone, independent of demographics? For example, consider the common advice “smile more”. Is smiling relevant to the performance of the job? If the individual was of a different gender, race, age, etc. would the advice still be offered? If the answer is no – the advice is not only irrelevant, it’s inappropriate, especially from an interviewer or other representative of an interviewing organization. Here are some other common examples: “wear more flattering clothing”, “take out your earrings”, “tie your hair back”, “soften your language so it is less assertive”. .
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