Ask the Headhunter

Dear Headhunter, 

I have issues with germs and shaking hands with people. Is it ever acceptable bypass that step and play it off naturally vs. rude when meeting potential employers?  

This is definitely an interesting question.....

90% of the time, a handshake is most appropriate. If you really are diagnosed and this is a disorder, you may have already run into this type of circumstance and using methods from past encounters might work. The best thing I would say is if you see the handshake come on, just apologize and simply let the interviewer know that you are fighting a cold and don't want to spread your germs. If you take the handshake, make sure it is firm and that your hand is dry! If not, play it off as if you are fighting a cold. 

I actually just had a lunch interview with a gentleman in New York. He had a bottle of hand sanitizer with him which I didn't think anything of, except that he never put it away. I noticed he was cleaning the table and his hands after touching things. It definitely became noticeable after a while, but it did not change the direction of our conversation, or my perception on his ability to do the job. 

One other thing I would likely to quickly mention is to pay attention to culture if you are interviewing with an international company. In certain cultures, a handshake is not appropriate at all. Definitely do your research and make sure you understand protocol beforehand. 

Tom Johnston is the headhunter that headhunters seek to find talent for their firms. He is the CEO of SearchPath and has more than 18 years of experience in franchising, search and recruitment, and office development. Tom is recognized as a leader and authority in the executive search industry.