Page 112 - James Caan - Get the Job you Really Want

Attending to the details

When I was just starting out, I went on a sales course that
included a session on personal appearance. One of the things
the course leader told us was that with men you can tell a lot by

the condition of their shoes.
My immediate reaction was, ‘That’s ridiculous!’
He went on to say, ‘Looking after your shoes represents

attention to detail. Some people will just get up in the morning,
put their shoes on, and they’re out of the door. Other people will
not leave the house unless their shoes are polished. It’s the way
they are, it is a characteristic element of their personality. If you
are looking for somebody who is articulate, well groomed, takes

pride in what they do, has a high level of attention to detail,
their shoes are a great indicator that they really are like that.’
Even though the sales course was over twenty-five years ago,

the course leader’s words have stuck in my head. I still follow
his advice to this day. Whenever I am interviewing somebody,
either when they walk in or as they leave, I always clock their
shoes. And nine times out of ten it works – it tells me something
significant about how they see themselves.

Because there is only a short period in which to make a
decision, all interviewers have their own individual little quirks.
Some people are equally finicky about fingernails – again, it

says, ‘If you make that level of e≠ort in your personal grooming,
that level of attention to detail will be an integral part of your
approach to the work that you do.’
The day before the interview, take a moment to pause and

100 get the job you really want