More employers say a job candidate's handshake would likely have a strong influence on their opinion of the individual compared with those say the same about a candidate's body piercing or obvious tattoos, according to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Thirty-three percent of employers said a candidate's handshake would have a strong influence on their opinion of a job candidate compared with 31 percent who say the same about a body piercing. Twenty-nine percent of respondents said obvious tattoos would have a strong influence on their opinion of a job candidate.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents said a candidate's grooming would have a strong influence on their opinion of the candidate, and nearly half cited nontraditional interview attire as exerting a strong influence.
Forty-five percent of respondents said a candidate's handshake would have a slight influence on their opinion. Forty-three percent cited a candidate's body piercing as slightly influential in their opinion of the applicant and 46 percent who said the same about tattoos.
"It's important for job seekers to recognize that attributes that exert even a slight influence over an employer can be just as important as those that exert a strong influence," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. "When an employer has to make a choice among job candidates, these are the items that could make or break a candidacy."