The art of the casual greeting sounds simple in terms but can be daunting (or forgotten) to some. I’ve recently coached a few candidates who were afflicted with that serious condition that I have termed to be “greeting-challenged”.

The greeting-challenged individual has trouble remembering to keep their energy up when meeting a new person. They forgot to reciprocate with questions when someone asks them how they’re doing. They omit a positive sentiment, leaving the listener amid a cloud of blah.

Remember, we recruiters speak with thousands of people and our gift to the world is a sticky ear. We pick up the nuances or lack thereof and though some might not be able to label what it is about a particular candidate that didn’t go well, the result is detrimental to you. So, be warned.

In an interview, you have about 30 seconds to set the tone of your talk (and listen) with a recruiter or hiring manager. Are you going to come across as tone deaf, hyper, or depressed? The casual greeting is probably one of my most favorite tests to take the pulse of a given candidate’s general mood.