Career-day checklist: Suit, spiel, dry palm

When I first interviewed for a job with The Globe and Mail's current editor-in-chief back in 2000, I wore a pair of khaki pants, a blue dress shirt, a tacky Beatles tie (John, Paul, George and Ringo's faces all lined up vertically) and a pair of scuffed-up brown leather shoes.

In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best choice of outfit. And while I joke about that now, according to experts on workplace etiquette it's no laughing matter.

Five and a half years after that first meeting with the editor -- and my full-time gig at The Globe now behind me -- I recently found myself sitting in an MBA career-day-etiquette seminar (coincidentally, I was wearing a different pair of scuffed-up brown shoes) and imagining what instructors would say about the clothes I wore to that initial meeting at The Globe.

Perhaps they would shake their heads and give me a light slap on the wrist. More likely, they would tell me how lucky I was to get the job and instruct me to never dress that way that again.

Etiquette isn't the first thing that came to mind when I saw the posters plastered throughout the business school announcing career day.

But, judging by the large group of students that had joined me for that voluntary seminar on career-day etiquette, it's an issue of great confusion as everyone looking to impress corporate recruiters seeks not only to find that perfect position but also a leg up on their competition.

Whether at a Bay Street networking breakfast, a large corporate recruiting event at a conference centre or at an MBA career fair, the people charged with hiring new staff often meet dozens, if not hundreds, of people -- all of whom are looking for a job.

That's why making a lasting impression is so important, experts say. And that's where etiquette comes into play.

"This is serious stuff . . . that can make all the difference in the world," a representative of the school's career centre said at the beginning of the seminar.

At York University, as at other campuses, career day is a big deal. It is an opportunity for students to drop off their résumés to numerous employers in one fell swoop. It is also an excellent venue to find out from recruiters what departments are in need of personnel, how to go about applying for jobs and, perhaps, impress someone in a position to hire a student for that much-coveted (and much-stressed about) first job out of school.

I had been working full time for more than six years since completing my undergraduate degree and never gave a second thought to the etiquette involved in wooing corporate VIPs.

I always figured it was a fairly straightforward process: Wear clean clothes, smile, be polite and be an interesting person. I never thought about the fibres in my clothes, the tension of my handshake or the quality of my small talk.

But there's a lot more to meeting these recruiters than you might think:

The clothes

For men, it's a wool suit or a wool blend (not polyester) with a shirt, tie,¾-inch leather belt and lace-up Oxford shoes or classic loafers, according to the Etiquette Advantage, a Toronto-based company that led the on-campus seminar and conducts similar classes for business schools and corporations across Ontario.

For women, it's a pantsuit with a silk blouse, closed-toe pumps with 1½-inch heels and a medium-sized purse.

The conversation

The most important part is the quick-yet-concise response to the inevitable "so tell me about yourself" question. (If you see students talking to themselves in a nearby coffee shop or in front of a public-bathroom mirror, you can be sure they are rehearsing this pivotal speech.)

Go too long and you may bore or even anger the recruiter; go too short and the recruiter may be left with questions but no desire to follow up.

"Candidates shouldn't be asking me questions," one New York City-based recruiter recently told the Wall Street Journal, adding that because he has only a short period of time with each candidate, people should be prepared with "a quick summary of your qualifications and why I should hire you."

Just as crucial is your knowledge of the company, from the core business to names of senior management to recent acquisitions.

According to brokerage Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s website, the most important thing when meeting a recruiter is to "be yourself and to learn as much as you can about us. It's the best way to know whether the position you're applying for is right for you."

The handshake

It should be firm but not painful, and never sweaty.

"Don't hold out your hand too soon -- you will seem nervous," we were told during the seminar. "[But] if you wait too long you will seem unfriendly."

The business card

Ask for someone's card first, and then wait to be asked for yours.

Pay attention to the card. "A common mistake is to glance at the card and then put it in your pocket," says the Etiquette Advantage. "You must read it thoroughly. If the name is unusual or difficult to pronounce, repeat the name . . . if the person is from Asia, it is respectful to present or receive a card with both hands."

The follow-up

This is a great way to say thank you and remind the recruiter about yourself. It should be in the form of a handwritten note, recalling a unique part of your conversation. Ideally, it will appear in his or her office mailbox the very next day.

"This is what they mean by the soft skills of business school," my friend whispered at the seminar.

Looking down again at my scuffed-up shoes, I realized it's time to do some shopping. How much does a black wool suit cost, anyhow?

Richard Bloom is a former Report on Business writer who has enrolled in York University's Schulich School of Business to obtain an MBA. He will write regularly on the career lessons he is taking away from the classroom.