<p>Okay so this is a really simple question that I have and I am interested in people opinions. So i recently got a cold, the sneezing, coughing, sniffling nose type…but i also recently got an interview for tomorrow. Would it be better to not shake the person’s hand and explain my cold situation…or shake her hand and avoid a possibly awkward start to the interview??</p>
<p>Also is there any other dos and don’t i should know about, other than the obvious (burping, not saying thank you and such)?</p>
<p>Go to the interview location, go to the rest room and wash your hands. And wait patiently. Have hand sanitizer if possible. Shake the person’s hand.</p>
<p>I disagree with T2. Hand sanitizer before the interview won’t prevent you from having to sneeze, cough, and use a tissue during the interview. When you do that, the interviewer is going to regret having shaken hands with you! When you meet your interviewer, I would explain with a smile that you’re not going to shake hands and why. Your interviewer will appreciate your courtesy.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say “I’m sick.” That’s a little vague – and a little scary. The interviewer may wonder if in your eagerness you came to the interview with, say, bubonic plague. </p>
<p>I’d say something simple like “I have a garden variety cold. No fever; nothing awful, but I sure don’t want to give it to you.”</p>
<p>Yeah these are really useful advice. Cause I know that if someone shakes my hand and starts to cough and sneeze like there is no tomorrow…I would have the urge to wash my hands throughout the entire interview. LOL</p>
<p>In the end, it’s your call. I would do what T2 told you if it were up to me. By using hand sanitizer before you shake the person’s hand, you don’t run the risk of passing any illness along to your interviewer. You also want to avoid the risk of an awkward start to your interview. You don’t know how the person will react to you not shaking his or her hand even if you give the person a valid reason. </p>
<p>I would explain that I have a cold and don’t want to pass it to the interviewer, and then I would do a “Namaste” greeting. Or if I were really obviously sick, I’d try to reschedule the interview.</p>
<p>Oh my god…I never imagined a handshake while you have a cold to evolve into a full-scale thread/problem.</p>
<p>Two options:
If you sneeze seldom and you make sure you sneeze in a tissue, I see no problem in you shaking hands with her.
If you sneeze frequently and are not always prepared with a tissue, I’ll say don’t shake hands and explain politely your situation.</p>
<p>You don’t need to DHL her a formal warning 5 days in advance or to cough in the back of your knee or to stand on your head so as not to cough in her face… :)</p>
<p>It’s just a cough…come on. The first impression does matter, but hopefully it will mean nothing by the end of your interview, having been eclipsed by what you say.</p>
<p>Alright! SOOO it happened! I decided to forgo telling her about the cold, and I just washed my hands before she arrived. I shook her hands and made sure to not cough/sniffle too often and I think it went well. </p>
<p>@amk933: Yeah I wasn’t expecting so many opinions. Its wonderful! Yet i think just the Interview etiquette is an important topic to discuss, cause for those people (Like me) who have never interviewed for anything before…you have to learn fast. LOL</p>