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cologne at a job interview

Poll Results: cologne at a job interview

 
  • 1% (2)
    Absolutely! My employer will love my 4 sprays of Kouros.
  • 17% (18)
    Recommended. It should be fine if it's not too strong.
  • 54% (57)
    It's not a sin, but be VERY VERY careful with what you spray.
  • 26% (28)
    Never wear cologne at a job interview, EVER.
105 Total Votes  
post #1 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:16pm
Thread Starter 
I wouldn't say it's a definite no, as long as you don't wear too much (in fact, wear VERY little) and the scent is light (rather than strong or musky). I don't think I would wear AMen, Dior Homme or Fahrenheit.

The perfect mood to convey with a scent, I believe, in this situation is cleanliness.

It's not a necessity, and you can well do a job interview without one.

I don't necessarily agree that it shouldn't ever be worn at all.

I think one spray is fine.

I'd say good safe scents for a job interview would be:
- Acqua di Gio
- Mugler Cologne
- Millesime Imperial
- Green Irish Tweed
- Midnight In Paris (apply an hour before)
- Bleu De Chanel
- YSL L'Homme (be careful though, even though it is fresh, it does project well)
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post #2 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:20pm
No fragrance ever for a job interview - solely my opinion.
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post #3 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:20pm
I get the temptation to wear a fragrance, but for me it's too much of a risk with the way the scarcity of jobs is around here. Some people are allergic to certain things in fragrances, and others are hyper sensitive, so you could end up without a job due to wearing one at an interview. Alternatively, they could remember the smell and not like it, leaving a negative impression. Sure the opposite could happen, but are you willing to risk it?

I know one spray is not a lot of those weaker frags, but I'd sooner not wear them and not have any risks than wear one spray and gamble no matter the odds.

That's just my personal opinion though. Only been to one real job interview, and that was just for a sales job at a comic store.
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post #4 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:24pm
Thread Starter 
Good point Octa.

If I were to wear something, I'd spray it only once and it would be at least an hour before the job interview.

If anything.
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post #5 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:25pm
No fragrance. Fragrances are not that important, that's the reality of things. A job is worth more than a scented liquid.
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post #6 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:28pm
I agree, wear nothing, or something light, crisp and clean.
On the other side.....don't go in there smelling of body odour also.

One spritz of Byredo Sunday Cologne would be OK IMO.
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post #7 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:31pm
No fragrance EVER for a job interview! Surefire way to not get hired.
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post #8 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:46pm
When doing an initial tour and interview of my current employer, I put on a nice shirt, slacks, and one lone spritz of By Kilian's Straight to Heaven. They said that they weren't hiring at the time, but I sent them a "thank you" note for inviting me to their offices in hopes that they would hire me.

It worked.

They hired me for some projects, and my roles there have only grown since. And we've hired six or seven new people (and moved to bigger, better offices three blocks down the street) since I started, and some of them are into frags like I am. One of them is a staunch believer in Versace Pour Homme. Down the hall, the favorite of one of our web designers is A*Men, also one of my faves - but NOT something that will work at a job interview in any dose. The favorite scent of one of the female new hires on me? None other than Straight to Heaven, the scent that got me hired, though she also likes John Varvatos Vintage on me.

Last time I was at the office, I was wearing PdN New York, but got zero compliments, and before that, I got a "meh" on Encre Noire. Guess it's back to the tried-and-true.
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post #9 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:47pm
  • pav
  • offline
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easy GIT, Aventus, TF Tobacco Vanile
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post #10 of 59
11/29/12 at 1:52pm
Here in the UK loads of people wear fragrances and the chances are the interviewers will be as well especially if they are women. If you choose a subtle/light non offensive frag then I see no problem. Wearing Kouros to a interview though is not cool.lol
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post #11 of 59
11/29/12 at 2:07pm
I would probably do the lightest walk in spray ever with Green Irish Tweed. Nothing else.
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post #12 of 59
11/29/12 at 2:09pm
A squirt on your chest of a very safe cologne is not going to change the outcome of an interview, one way or the other.
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post #13 of 59
11/29/12 at 2:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonty Coppersmith View Post

No fragrance EVER for a job interview! Surefire way to not get hired.

Not sure if my experience represents an anomaly, but I did get a job offer some months back even after wearing fragrance to the interview. The job was for a computer programmer, and the cologne in question was Tom Ford Grey Vetiver, moderately sprayed. This was in the US. Not sure about other countries/cultures...
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post #14 of 59
11/29/12 at 2:16pm
3rd option in the poll FTW

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonty Coppersmith View Post

No fragrance EVER for a job interview! Surefire way to not get hired.

would you say the same applies to women?
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post #15 of 59
11/29/12 at 2:46pm
Whatever happened to just take a shower before the interview and that way you'll be fresh and clean?
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post #16 of 59
11/29/12 at 3:14pm
Here at Brazil is not a sin if someone can smell some fragrance on you.

Last time I wore Terre dHermes Pure Parfum and I found that it was perfect, huge longevity, moderated sillage, serious and professional.
The enterprise ended up inviting me to join them, but I preferred to stay at my current job (and got a wage increase for that).
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post #17 of 59
11/29/12 at 3:55pm
If I was doing the interviewing, I most certainly wouldn't take on someone with even the slightest BO.... much more likely to go for someone with a low key, pleasant odour.

Of course, that wouldn't be the only qualifying factor....
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post #18 of 59
11/29/12 at 3:58pm
Clean and freshly showered is the only way I have gone on interviews. I would hate for my cologne to leave any kind of negative impression
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post #19 of 59
11/29/12 at 7:15pm
I'll take a slightly different approach. In so many other threads, BNers (including myself) talk about the confidence frags can give us. I think anything that you can do to psychologically boost yourself should be done; however, you want to exude confidence, not citrus/vetiver/vanilla/etc.

I don't see anything wrong with wearing something that makes you feel good about yourself, so long as you apply lightly and/or wear a scent that sticks close to you.
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post #20 of 59
11/29/12 at 7:26pm
A very, very light spritz of something inoffensive is as good as you need until you land the job. If you really need the job, you don't want anything to come between you and the interviewer.
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post #21 of 59
11/29/12 at 7:32pm
I wore Prada Amber pH during my last interview and walked away with the offer.
But you need to be careful with the number of sprays :-)
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post #22 of 59
11/29/12 at 7:33pm
I know it's hard for people like us in the frag community, but I think it would be best to hold off on the cologne until after the interview. Besides, we can wait until we get the job and purchase a new frag in celebration....Lol
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post #23 of 59
11/29/12 at 7:47pm
Mostly no - never wear anything. If you are applying for a job where no fragrance might be perceived as a negative then wear something but make it the most likely scent to please everyone. Mostly just wear nothing. Never wear anything oriental, sweet, floral, leather, spicy or that might stand out too much. No matter how much you like the fragrance - just avoid it becoming the topic and leave it at home. Getting a job is mostly about being in the group of the "last standing" which are mostly those remaining who nobody could find a disqualification or an objection. Don't provide a bold fragrance to be an objection.

I have not interviewed for many jobs myself. But, I have interviewed thousands of people and helped select thousands of applicants for jobs of all types. I can not think of one instance when the applicants fragrance worn was ever a positive thing. I have been a fragrance collector for years - but it never was a positive issue in an interview. But it could easily be a negative issue. You don't want to be that guy that wears the heavy cologne that the highly allergic assistant frowns about as they leave. Never provide fuel for an objection. Fragrance can be that objection for all kinds of reasons. Stick to showing those things that will help you qualify for and land the job.
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post #24 of 59
11/29/12 at 7:49pm
There's been multiple threads about this same subject and the overwhelming opinion is to not wear a fragrance to an interview.
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post #25 of 59
11/29/12 at 8:51pm
I always wear scents to interviews, just like I would to any other affair where I'm meeting people. I'm moderate with my scents, though. I only do one spray onto my wrist, rub it onto the other, and maybe another spray to the base of the neck/chest area.
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post #26 of 59
11/29/12 at 9:07pm
I don't see the difference between a job interview and other say professional situations. If you consider that perfume is more likely to be perceived as negative in the professional environment of a job interview why should it be perceived better in other professional situations? I haven't seen that many people here giving the advice of not wearing scent to work at all. So is it that the opinion of your potential employer is more important than that of your actual employer? Do you xneed to be less considerate with coworkers , secretaries whatever than with your interviewers? Sorry to say that, but doesn't look very consistent to me f not a bit hi

- - - Updated - - -

...hypocrite. I would wear anything to an onterview that I would wear in a normal work situation dealing with colleagues, my boss and clients as well. And as I try not to overapply ever at work I think that is perfectly ok.
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post #27 of 59
11/29/12 at 10:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hednic View Post

No fragrance ever for a job interview - solely my opinion.

+1

It is unlikely a scent will help get you a job, but there is always a chance that it might give a bad impression. If I had two candidates who had interviewed equally well and were equally qualified I'd be inclined to turn down one on the basis of him/her being cologne guy/gal as it speaks of their consideration for others.

So much to risk, so little to gain. Save your scents until you've got the job. If you really need scent that day, apply once you leave the premises.
I also tend to go easy on the scent during the initial 3 month probationary period, or at least until I've got a feel for the office and its attitudes.
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post #28 of 59
11/29/12 at 10:23pm
This is where not too daring scents that remain close to one's skin come to the fore: Gucci Pour Homme II, Creed GIT, as design frag maybe CK Eternity. As remarked previously, it beats BO.

- - - Updated - - -

This is where not too daring scents that remain close to one's skin come to the fore: Gucci Pour Homme II, Creed GIT, as design frag maybe CK Eternity. As remarked previously, it beats BO.
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post #29 of 59
11/29/12 at 11:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbaker View Post

As remarked previously, it beats BO.

I thought that was the purpose of deodorant.
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post #30 of 59
11/29/12 at 11:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hednic View Post

No fragrance ever for a job interview - solely my opinion.

This.

Why risk it? Once you get an offer and decide to accept it, then you can wear whatever you want.
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post #31 of 59
11/30/12 at 12:14am
Wear fragrance for yourself, not for others. Just wear what you like....j/k
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post #32 of 59
11/30/12 at 12:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Hunter View Post

Here in the UK loads of people wear fragrances and the chances are the interviewers will be as well especially if they are women. If you choose a subtle/light non offensive frag then I see no problem. Wearing Kouros to a interview though is not cool.lol

I agree. We have to acknowledge cultural differences. To me, it says the candidate has made an effort to present themselves well. Choking amounts of A*Men etc would not be wise, however.
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post #33 of 59
11/30/12 at 12:54am
  • Zgb
  • offline
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don't do it...just don't.
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post #34 of 59
11/30/12 at 1:18am
You can try platinum egoiste, it's pretty safe
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post #35 of 59
11/30/12 at 1:55am
VERY VERY few sprays of non-offensive and safe scents would be fine I think, like:
Versace PH
Creed MI
Cool Water
LIDGPH
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post #36 of 59
11/30/12 at 4:38am
^haha LIDG...probably only in Iran.

Nevertheless I also think its ok as long you're not overpowering and being discreet.
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post #37 of 59
11/30/12 at 4:53am
I probably wouldn't use a scent for an interview but.....if I really wanted to it would be a single spray to the side of the neck of YSL Rive Gauche an hour before. I cannot conceive of anyone being offended by that one, it is simply fresh and clean.
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post #38 of 59
11/30/12 at 4:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Hunter View Post

Here in the UK loads of people wear fragrances and the chances are the interviewers will be as well especially if they are women. If you choose a subtle/light non offensive frag then I see no problem. Wearing Kouros to a interview though is not cool.lol

Same in Denmark, as far as I have heard and experienced.
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post #39 of 59
11/30/12 at 5:41am
If you have the credentials and present yourself properly during the interview I can not see where a job would not hire you.

I say that to say I would wear a fragrance such as

Mugler Cologne or Prada Amber Pour Homme to a interview. These two scents are very inoffensive and will come off pleasant to anyone in my mind.
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post #40 of 59
11/30/12 at 1:13pm
I wore Azzaro PH for my latest job interview and I got the job
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post #41 of 59
11/30/12 at 3:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by indianwells View Post

I probably wouldn't use a scent for an interview but.....if I really wanted to it would be a single spray to the side of the neck of YSL Rive Gauche an hour before. I cannot conceive of anyone being offended by that one, it is simply fresh and clean.

+1...
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post #42 of 59
11/30/12 at 3:41pm
I wouldn't want to be hired by someone who doesn't want to hire me just because he doesn't like my cologne.
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post #43 of 59
11/30/12 at 5:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Norstrøm View Post

Same in Denmark, as far as I have heard and experienced.

Yeah, I agree - this topic is actually quite interesting. From the posts here there certainly seem to be very considerable differences between US/Australian attitudes to this question and European/Middle Eastern ones... hmm... might we speculate on possible cultural reasons?!
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post #44 of 59
11/30/12 at 5:12pm
"If anyone has told you any of your perfumes or colognes linger in the room after you’ve left, don’t wear them during the interview. You’re supposed to get the job, not be the office air freshener."
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post #45 of 59
11/30/12 at 5:53pm
I would wear it, 1-2 sprays of a fragrance I like but is also safe. If wearing it makes me feel good and gives me confidence...I will wear it.
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post #46 of 59
11/30/12 at 9:08pm
I think much better is to go very clean and fresh if possible perfume can be a killer...you might think I'm wearing this because it does not smell a bit...but you don't know the interviewers nose....
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post #47 of 59
12/1/12 at 2:16am
Voted "Recommended. It should be fine if it's not too strong".
But it depends of what job you're after.
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post #48 of 59
12/1/12 at 5:44am
I don't see why not? You guys make me doubt why you wear fragrances at all?
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post #49 of 59
12/1/12 at 6:32am
The logic of not wearing a fragrance in fear of not getting hired is absurd. It's the same antiquated way of thought that you can't interview with a beard. This entire way of thought is completely backwards and really needs to be put to bed. I would never discount an applicant if they came in well-groomed and smelling pleasant. If anything, it says they care about their presentation and have good personal hygiene; as long as it's in moderation. Just as in any social setting, don't spray half the bottle on your neck and you'll be fine.

Just wear something "tasteful" in moderation, and don't let the fragrance speak for you.
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post #50 of 59
12/1/12 at 6:43am
I'd wait until I understood the company's policy, or the general attitude of that milieu, on fragrance in the workplace. There is no downside to wearing nothing.

If, however, wearing fragrance is more important to you than a particular job or prospect of one, go ahead - might as well get that settled from the start.
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post #51 of 59
12/1/12 at 9:36am
I wouldn't. There are fragrance haters and people that are sensitive to it and that would consider a fragrant applicant inconsiderate. Not to mention your "safe" scent may be the signature scent of an ex that they now hate with a passion.

Why hurt your chances? When interviewing the safest bet is to be a clean slate - no scent, conservative suit, simple tie - nothing that distracts from what you have to say.

Like it or not, interviewing is a very different situation than work. I've interviewed people before, and often you have little to go on to filter out a large group of applicants. Many times granting a second interview or an offer amounts to a choice based on gut feel. Don't you think a fragrance hater's gut feel will be affected by the scent they were annoyingly distracted by during the interview? I know I've had to choose between equally qualified applicants based on less.

Now if you're being recruited - if you are interviewing them - do whatever you want. Use your judgement, but if you really need the job and are competing for it, don't do any that may hurt your chances.
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post #52 of 59
12/1/12 at 10:26am
My answer would be either none or very discreet scents in very little quantities.
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post #53 of 59
12/1/12 at 11:09am
I don't understand people who feel its necessary to wear fragrance to an interview. My last position was to interview between 8-10 people a day on average and even if I liked their fragrance if they wore any, it told me they didn't understand the etiquette for an interview as it's not a date.

People shouldn't wear any fragrance. Some people have allergies and interview multiple people in a day and when multiple people wear different fragrances it can become a bit annoying when people do wear it.
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post #54 of 59
12/1/12 at 2:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hednic View Post

No fragrance ever for a job interview - solely my opinion.

Another vote for this. Leave the interviewer with a good impression of you, not an unknown impression of your fragrance.
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post #55 of 59
12/1/12 at 3:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DieNase View Post

I don't see the difference between a job interview and other say professional situations.

The difference is that once you _have_ the job, you can find out whether fragrance is OK or not, and comply with the answer. But asking that question before the interview suggests a weirdly skewed set of priorities.
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post #56 of 59
12/1/12 at 6:16pm
Back in my interviewing days, I tended to wear the same thing I wear now when I know I will be working shoulder-to-shoulder with people - enough fragrance to guarantee no body odor, but not enough to register consciously as wearing fragrance, unless somebody is REALLY sniffing for it. A lot of times, that means one spray buried under my clothes and given lots of time to air out.

For me, no fragrance is NOT a good option. A small amount of fragrance will register as "clean", but "clean" will register as "did this guy bathe today?"

There are many great scents that say little more than "he took a shower and put on very clean clothes".
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post #57 of 59
12/1/12 at 7:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redneck Perfumisto View Post

There are many great scents that say little more than "he took a shower and put on very clean clothes".

What are those scents for you? My BF loves the "clean" scent but so far his idea of "clean" scent has me asking him to take a shower again because whatever he sprayed on has my throat burning. That description sounds exactly what I *think* he's looking for (and I can tolerate) so I'd love some suggestions for him.
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post #58 of 59
12/1/12 at 9:17pm
LOL! Most of them lean heavily to fresh citrus or soapy laundry musks. I used to like a few of them, but my tastes have changed.

A really great recent one is the Lacoste L1212 Blanc:

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/l...3-oz?ID=601534



My wife bought me Estee Lauder Pleasures for Men precisely for this reason, years ago. Vera Wang for Men, too - nice scent.

Acqua di Gio, but everybody wears it, and everybody wears too much!

Try Yuzu Man, too - nice clean-smelling citrus.

Puro Lino is a very nice soapy scent. More niche.

The Gendarme scents, and they're in Sephora.

Several of the Etienne Aigner scents are like that, but I don't remember which one.

I personally like the fresh side of Bleu de Chanel, but that's probably a bit of a throat-burner if you go hog-wild on it (which I like, too! )

Like I said, there are lots, and they don't get too much love around here.
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post #59 of 59
12/2/12 at 9:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redneck Perfumisto View Post

LOL! Most of them lean heavily to fresh citrus or soapy laundry musks. I used to like a few of them, but my tastes have changed.

A really great recent one is the Lacoste L1212 Blanc:

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/l...3-oz?ID=601534



My wife bought me Estee Lauder Pleasures for Men precisely for this reason, years ago. Vera Wang for Men, too - nice scent.

Acqua di Gio, but everybody wears it, and everybody wears too much!

Try Yuzu Man, too - nice clean-smelling citrus.

Puro Lino is a very nice soapy scent. More niche.

The Gendarme scents, and they're in Sephora.

Several of the Etienne Aigner scents are like that, but I don't remember which one.

I personally like the fresh side of Bleu de Chanel, but that's probably a bit of a throat-burner if you go hog-wild on it (which I like, too! )

Like I said, there are lots, and they don't get too much love around here.

Oh, that Lacoste sounds lovely!!!! I wonder if he'd like it? Maybe I should find a sample for him. (Or keep all this in mind for the next time we're together and I can take him shopping!)
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