Juiced

Ah, how I miss the days of working and hiring and firing people. I am able to look back and say I never fired anyone who didn't deserve a good old fashioned firing, and if I hired you, you tended to stay hired, because I was careful to hire people I thought would fit in and do a good job.

There were exceptions. Oh my yes, there were.

But I read something that may come in handy for those who are currently looking for a new job, or a first job, or something part time to fill in the gap. I have thoughts for you that might help. I remember so many interviews that went so well, and so many that, well, didn't.

Like the guy who showed up in a torn shirt and put his feet up on my desk and explained a six-month gap in his employment history by saying that his manager at Hechinger's Hardware had asked him to do something on his lunch hour, and so he quit, because, "I'm not putting with that sort of s--t!"

Then, upon finding that he was not being hired, he had his MOTHER call me to ask why.

So, jobseekers, don't do like that.

And don't wear orange.

Really.

I found this out by reading one of my favorite websites, Mental Floss, where they reported on a survey of 2099 hiring managers that revealed that "25 percent of them think that not only is orange the worst color to wear to an interview, it’s also most likely to be associated with a lack of professionalism."

Michelle Armer, the "chief people officer" at CareerBuilder, says it's a mistake to let your clothes distract interviewers from what you’re actually saying.

“The goal of any interview is to communicate what unique value you bring to the company and its culture,” Armer told Money. “A good rule of thumb: make sure the people remember you more than your clothes."

So, while you're sitting there explaining all sorts of brilliant answers and ways you will help Company X turn profits like Amazon, if the person responsible for choosing you is sitting there wondering why you chose to wear an orange crushed velvet Nehru jacket for your interview, you're not going to get the job even though you're real smart and all.

And as Money says, who knows if wearing orange will mess you all up, but why risk it? Once you get the job, then you can break bad with the burnt sienna all you want!

Looks like the safe way is to wear black or blue, according to the big shots doing the hiring.

Note: all this is not applicable if you apply for a position as a baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles.