The job seeker appeared in curlers and worn bunny slippers, and handed over her résumé. The slightly bemused staff of the establishment accepted her offering, and off she shuffled. The boss appeared. The woman’s résumé was given a quick hop into the trash tin.

The Royal Gazette recently polled several employers about job applicant disasters. The aim was to give our readers an idea of what not to do when applying for a job, as the competition right now is fierce.

“Years ago, you might apply and be the only person, now we see 20 to 40 people applying for that same job,” said one business owner. “It’s amazing how many people disqualify themselves because they don’t show up prepared and dressed properly. That is the key thing.”

Other employers agreed — first impressions are crucial.

One person told us how teenagers showed up at his company “baggy pants drooping” and demanded “job résumés” — it helps to first get the basic terminology right. It also helps to pull up your pants.

The hospitality employer advised potential job seekers to look neat.

“If you are applying for a kitchen job wear a kitchen uniform, if you have one,” he said.

And he wasn’t keen on nose piercings and lots of visible tattoos.

“If you’re applying for some trendy store it might be all right, but in my business it can scare the customers,” he said.

One of his pet peeves was job seekers who showed up to fill out an application without a pen. “You knew you were coming here for a job application,” he said. “Why didn’t you bring a pen? It shows that you aren’t prepared and that makes you look bad.”

The pen thing was often a deal breaker for this particular employer who valued preparedness and organisation skills in his employees.

If you reach the interview stage, it is so important to show that you are taking the process seriously.

Some employers told us of interviews with prospective hires who spent the entire time looking at their cell phone, or who actually answered calls.

One senior vice president at a local financial institution told us of a young candidate who showed up in full Goth gear, piercings and black nail polish. While most candidates showed some nervousness, “Bill” acted as though he was at home in his living room.

“During the interview in the boardroom, he put his feet on a chair, and put his hands behind his head,” the senior vice president said. “Bill was nice enough, and actually fairly smart, but it was impossible to get past his demeanour.

“Most of my candidates were also smart, friendly and articulate and so it goes without saying that Bill did not get the job.”

Here’s another tip: don’t bring your relatives to a job interview; it’s time to cut the cord. Don’t leave them in the waiting room, either. Also, if you’re a youngster looking for a summer job, it makes you looks so much better if you can call the company and handle the process yourself. If you conduct yourself properly, you’ll stand out against all the others who needed their mommies and daddies to make the call.

In terms of the job application and résumé itself, we have one word to sum it up: Check.

Check your spelling, check that your handwriting is legible, check that everything on the résumé is correct and check that all the correct paperwork is included.

“My pet peeve is spelling mistakes in a résumé,” said another employer.

“I also once received an application that was made out to a different business altogether.” One employer told us about the job seeker who accidentally attached very private medical forms to a job application instead of her résumé.

Another employer said he himself once, accidentally, sent in a first draft of his résumé that included pencil marks and arrows.

“I was so embarrassed when I sat down in (the potential employer’s) office and he pulled it out,” he said.

Do you feel you have experienced job discrimination due to visible tattoos and piercings? E-mail jmhardy@royalgazette.com