A little fun post this week. One of my first writing projects was a work titled Improve Your Job Seeking Skills. Having conducted more than 5,000 job interviews, I had acquired quite a lot of information and experience. One session/chapter was Preparing for the Interview, partly dealing with the question, “How much perfume, cologne, or aftershave should you wear into an interview?” Whether you are going to a job interview, or any other place this is something to consider, and many people get it wrong.
If you were meeting with another person for lunch at a public restaurant or for a job interview and you knew this person was allergic to perfumes/colognes, how much would you wear? I trust you answered “none.” Is it worth taking the risk if you do not know whether the people you will be with each day are allergic?
Following a fifteen month Interim pastorate in another city, my wife and I returned to our home church for Sunday service. A husband and wife who had joined while we were away walked down the aisle past us and sat two to three rows in front of us. As they passed near our seats a heavy scent of perfume consumed the area – and it consumed the entire area the whole service. As we left church I told my wife, “Never again will we sit that close to her.” It was a nauseating 90 minutes. She simply did not realize the heavy chemical scent her perfume carried.
How many scents are you leaving the house with each day? When you shower you likely use soap, correct? I highly recommend it. Is soap scented or unscented? As you wash your hair you use shampoo. Is shampoo scented or unscented? Do you use conditioner? Scented or unscented? In addition, my wife also has other scented items in her shower, sprits, moisturizers, etc. Before leaving the shower you have 3-5 scents.
You will then put on deodorant. Scented or unscented? Hair products, spray, gel, mousse, they are all scented. Do you put on any lotion, hand, body, baby? Scented. Before you leave the bathroom don’t forget to brush your teeth with your scented toothpaste. Men, shave cream or some liquid to stand your beard up for a closer shave? They are all scented. Women, isn’t your make-up scented? Different manufacturers, different scents for each brand applied.
Anyone counting? We’re up to eight to twelve scents already. What about your clothing? They were washed in laundry detergent, correct? Scented! Fabric softener and possibly scented beads, both scented. That fabric softener sheet you tossed in the dryer, scented.
You have already added 12-16 scents to your body without the thought of coffee or breakfast scents. Do you really think one more – cologne or perfume is necessary? I think you can leave it at home in the bottle. I wonder how much money I have saved over the years not purchasing cologne or aftershave – and no one has ever noticed.
George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.